Caged
by butterfly collective
Summary: This is that episode where C.J. gets amnesia and winds up in jail from the perspectives of different characters. Just borrowing the characters for fun.
1. Chapter 1

C.J. got dressed in one of her business lawyerly suits and finished by styling her hair inside the bathroom at the hotel in Santa Fe. But she wasn't the one trying the case that would play out inside a courtroom across town. She'd be sitting in the witness box while other lawyers interrogated her. One to help her tell her story of what had happened to her last year, the other to rip her story apart and paint her as the worst kind of whore.

But she'd had enough time spent handling criminal law cases including while interning for F Lee Bailey. Sure she'd focused more on corporate law lately

"You almost ready to go…?"

She looked over at Matt who stood waiting in the bedroom. He'd go down with her and sit in the audience during the trial. He'd testified about an hour the day earlier, not long after they'd flown in from Los Angeles to put this chapter of their lives behind them.

Today would be her turn to take the hot seat and she anticipated spending most of the day there until they were finished with her.

She put on the final touches of mascara and then she went out to meet him.

"I'm ready Houston…"

He smiled at her, his brown eyes reassuring her and slid his arm around her waist.

"Let's go then okay?"

She nodded as they left the hotel room to head to the courthouse. After waiting in the witness prep room, she'd be called in by the bailiff who'd lead her to the witness stand where after raising her hand and taking the oath, she'd begin to tell her story.

As she remembered it.

* * *

**18 months earlier….**

**Sheriff Butz: **

I drove the latest shipment of gals to Piser's ranch and his latest political friends already had started drinking when we arrived. One of the deputy's herded them out of the jail van, about a half dozen girls of all different types dressed in skimpy bikinis. After all, Semour Piser who chaired the state's parole board lived in a fancy estate with a swimming pool and he hosted the parties himself.

Piser studied the women with a critical eye while I stood next to him.

"Party time girls…"

They didn't look too thrilled but they'd act the parts. We'd had trouble with some of the earlier ones going all defiant, resisting the johns and trying to escape. So we'd made examples of them and I promised Piser each time that the next crop of party girls would be better.

This time I knew that he'd be pleased. We had a couple sexy looking blondes including one in Daisy Duke shorts and a nice fluffy redheaded girl. The only one missing was Fran, the most belligerent one of the bunch, a real wildcat. Piser hadn't cared to see her again so she remained back in lockup at the detention center.

But Piser didn't look happy at all. He wanted some high class girl and face it, not too many of them wandered into the remote desert town where we picked them up. Alley cats at best, most of them turned out to be but for the most part, the politicians from the capitol weren't disappointed.

"I'd like to have a party with you Womart…"

That'd be the redhead in the red bikini and Fran's partner in crime. She always gave lip but the men liked her and that kept her alive.

The deputy sneered.

"You couldn't stand the pace."

But she'd already left not without a parting shot.

"Boredom kills…"

The deputy just looked at me but I shook my head. One of the state senators had picked her photo out of a lineup and so there'd be no teaching her a lesson today. They liked their women unmarked like brand new merchandise even though they were some thrift store version of a whore.

The women all in skimpy outfits lined up and posed for the men who'd already made their choices. I smiled and strutted a little for Piser.

"We got us a real good bunch this time."

Piser just looked bored.

"That's what you said the last time."

Womart piped up.

"Oh we took care of the girls who caused trouble."

I interjected eager to erase the frown on Piser's face.

"We made examples out of them Mr. Piser. That will not happen again."

I and Womart had made sure of that, put bullets in the head of the ones who made trouble and buried them in the desert where no one would find them. We had a business to run after all, we handled the messy part of it so Piser could keep his hands clean. He should be grateful but he controlled the show…along with a new partner he had brought into it.

Then damn it if the blond with the Daisy Dukes on, Carrie I think her name was, took off in a sprint towards the gate.

"Get her…"

Damn girls got so excited when Carrie took off and started cheering her escape on as if she weren't winning of the race for her miserable life. That's why we couldn't let the ones who couldn't be controlled live after trying to fight back or escape. After we caught her, I'd have Romart pull the trigger and get rid of the body and the women already knew they'd never see her again.

But Carrie was quick; she'd gotten the jump on my men and made it down the steps to the fence before Womart picked her up kicking and screaming.

I and my other deputy herded the girls toward the pool area.

"Come on girls you know what you're here for now go make the gentlemen happy."

A couple sassed back but they did what they were told. They knew by now what would happen to them if they didn't.

The defiant redhead who they called Babs resisted a bit.

"All right you don't have to push…"

She hadn't been completely trained yet but she'd get there. Damn Carrie for embarrassing me with her stunt in front of Piser. It'd be the last thing she ever did but Piser needed some reassuring.

"Oh don't worry we'll take care of her."

Womart tossed her inside the van and closed the doors before driving off to take Carrie on the last ride of her sorry life.

She had her choice, she'd make it and now she'd pay.

* * *

**C.J. Parsons:**

Houston just worries too dang much about me. Not that I don't like it but when he'd said goodbye to me just two days ago he'd given me a list of instructions that would frustrate a girl scout.

Damn it was hot as I drove my convertible with the top down surrounded by desert in all directions. That's all I saw was endless desert, more cacti of different types and tumbleweed on the road than I can ever remember. But then Houston told me it'd just be 800 miles of desert and he'd been about right but I had to get to Santa Fe to take one deposition and since I'd been working so hard lately, I decided to spend some vacation time by taking a road trip instead of just flying there.

It'd been great to get away for a while and last night I'd spent the night at a hotel in Phoenix, dutifully called Houston to tell him I'd arrived safely before he could call me and then went out to dinner with some old friends from college.

This morning I got up bright and early hoping to make good time but now I wasn't sure where I was heading. Had I taken the right turn 30 miles ago at the exchange? Now I felt confused.

The latest sign that flew by put me in some place called Bannon County but I wouldn't be staying. I had to hit some town where I'd be staying in a hotel later that night and by then I'd be ready to crash after getting something to eat.

The scenery didn't look familiar to me so I pulled up one of the roadmaps to take another work while keeping one eye on the road. It'd been pretty deserted for a while now and I saw some semi truck in the distance coming towards me after it crossed some railroad tracks.

I must have looked at my watch too because I was pressed for time having overslept that morning and then stopping at a roadside café for a nice lunch. I wanted to make it to my next stop while it was still daylight.

I picked up the map again keeping one eye on the truck looking to make sure I was getting closer. I didn't see the station wagon alongside it in my lane until it was too late.

But when I did I swerved sharply to the right as hard as I could and then the car flew in the air over the dirt and when it landed, I was thrown forward and hit my head on the steering wheel.

I don't remember much after that.

* * *

**Matt Houston:**

I hit the suite after a business meeting with Cynthia who owned a company that did business with Houston Enterprises. Now I spent most of my time investigating cases with C.J. and my Uncle Roy but Murray wanted me to handle one small deal for him and that's how I met Cynthia. We'd been going out for a week, finding that mixing business and pleasure suited both of us.

She was really something…vivacious, smart and cut a mean figure in her business suits. I'd wanted to see how she looked more casual so I'd invited her to go sailing this morning in the Santa Monica bay and then afterward, we headed to my place to change.

She came up the staircase, dressed up in a nice orange dress that molded to her figure.

"That was fast."

She walked towards me.

"Quick changes are one of my specialties."

"Remind me to time you next time….Why don't we try this new place for lunch down the street?"

She sat on a stool next to me.

"Oh great I'm famished."

But my mind was on the slip of paper in my hand and the telephone on the wet bar. C.J. had given me the phone numbers of everywhere she'd be staying on this road trip of hers. I punched numbers on the phone to call the hotel in Santa Fe where she should be right now. I just wanted to make sure she made it safely, that's all. Then Cynthia and I would head on out to spend the afternoon together.

"I want to make one phone call…"

She put her chin in her hand. I thought she'd roll her eyes but she didn't…still she'd seen me reach for the phone enough in the past couple of day. But C.J. was my best friend in the whole world since we grew up as kids in Texas and sometimes I felt I needed to look after her. After all, it hadn't been that long ago she'd been shot on one of our cases and came closer to dying than had ever scared me before…she'd gotten well, headed off to Hawaii for a month and came back fully recovered.

Sometimes my friendship with C.J. proved difficult to explain to the other women in my life. This was one of them. But Cynthia had been a good sport about it.

"C.J… Houston she only left for Santa Fe two days ago."

"Well I know that and it's…yeah C.J. Parsons' suite please."

I waited as Cynthia sighed behind me.

"She's a big girl Houston."

"Hadn't checked in…she really should have been there hours ago…well…no…listen I'll call back later thank you."

I put the phone down and went to embrace Cynthia.

"Ah you're right she's a big girl…"

Soon our hands were on each other. I gestured with my head.

"Let's go…"

I held her hand as she led me to the door but not before I grabbed up that slip of paper. I don't know why I did that. Something…no I knew it was nothing. C.J. was having a great time on her road trip and could have stopped somewhere along the way. When I returned I knew there'd be a message from her on my voice mail.

* * *

**C.J.**

I woke up and the car was on fire, smoldering. I lay down on the dirt, aching all over but mostly on my head. As I lifted my head up, I saw this bunny scampering into the brush. But then…my head hurt so much and I wanted to get up but it was so hard…I felt dizzy and disoriented…my mind fuzzy. I watched the car burn, had I driven it? What was it doing there? What was I doing here? Where was here?

Who was I?

God, my head throbbed and my mind, like a deep fog shrouded it. I tried to make sense of it as my mind raced. Nothing looked familiar at all and yet I headed back on the road waving my arms for someone to help me but the few cars just sped on by without stopping. I touched my face and felt a bump there and more dizziness but I kept walking. I had to keep walking but didn't know where to go so I just followed the highway.

Soon it'd be getting dark and before long it did…as I reached the town without a name. I walked inside a bar to do what…maybe use a phone though I didn't know who to call. Inside there was a red headed woman sitting at the bar with the bar tender, a man. They both looked at me.

"Not my style…,"she said.

"Evening sweet thing," the bartender said, "What's your pleasure?"

I had no idea. What did he mean by that and why were they looking at me so strangely?

"Have a little fight with your boyfriend?"

He pulled at his belt and I just stood there still trying to make sense of it all. That just seemed to encourage him to be more…friendly.

"Well now, I think I got a cure for whatever's ailing you…"

The woman walked over to me.

"You hurt?"

What did she mean by that? I had hit my head but the pain came and went. The aches in my body had receded.

"No…"

She rested a hand on my back to guide me toward the bar.

"You look wrecked. You'd better sit down."

I didn't know what to do. She seemed nice but who was she? Did I know her? Why was she helping me? All these questions and then the bartender smirked.

"I got a cot in the back…"

I didn't like the way he said that. I don't think he wanted to help me like the woman. She shot him a glance that meant she didn't like it.

"Why don't you take a hike?"

The bartender put his hands up.

"Just trying to give her a little comfort…"

I didn't need any comfort. I needed to know my name. I needed to know why I was there. Images flickered inside my head…random… horses…buildings…and a man but nothing stayed for long.

The woman sat down at the bar.

"Got a name honey?"

I had no idea. I must have one right but nothing came to me.

"Where you from…?"

I just drew another blank. I seemed to be doing that a lot but then somewhere in the fuzziness an image appeared of a…bunny. I tried to grab hold of it because it's all that appeared.

"There was a… bunny…"

The woman sipped her drink, nodding.

"Bunny…nice name…"

But that didn't sound right to me. Nothing else came to mind to replace it.

"So what's your story…"

Story what story? Oh yeah, my life but I couldn't remember any of it. Just waking up and seeing the burning car and the bunny. Some fleeting images that were scrambled inside my head giving me a headache…none of them made sense.

But the woman waited for an answer so I gave one.

"I'm not sure I have one."

"Oh you got one, maybe a few pages are missing but I know a classy broad when I see one…Now this jacket may be a little beat up but it's good material…and that watch aint from a thrift store either."

I looked down at my jacket and my paints that had dirt on them. I don't remember putting them on and where I'd gotten them. I didn't remember where I'd been that morning or all the days preceding it. I looked at my watch, not recognizing it or where it came from…who gave it to me? Someone did at some point.

The bartender shook his head.

"She looks like she's been on one hell of a bender."

The woman shot him a look that I caught.

"Been on a few myself. You even know where you are."

I had no idea.

"No…"

My head hurt and I winced as I touched it.

"Well I do…and believe me it aint worth knowing…It looks like someone really got you good. Let's get you fixed up."

She led me away to a washroom. I didn't know if someone had hit me and that's why my head hurt. The accident…had I hit my head? Had I been alone in the car?

I washed myself up, being careful of the bruised area on my forehead and the reflection in the mirror could have been anyone. I don't know her…but she's me. Where was she born, what about her parents? What did she do, why was she here? To me, she just looked like another stranger but when her hands moved mine did. When I frowned, the lines appeared on her face. I touched my cheek and so did she.

If the woman thought it was strange, she didn't say anything.

"Jake…he's the bartender," she said, "I don't trust him. Maybe we better get on out of here."

I just furrowed my brows at her. I didn't know her yet she seemed intent on helping me. I felt grateful but deep inside somewhere I felt wariness too.

_Be careful who you trust. Don't take everything at face value. _

Those lessons had been drilled inside me by someone but who? Was it the man that flickered in front of my face sometimes before vanishing as if he were a mirage?

"I'm Rhonda by the way…"

I just nodded unable to say who I was in response.

"You ready to go?"

I nodded again, suddenly I felt like I wanted to leave too. But as we returned in the bar Jake just stared at us and something in his eyes made me deeply afraid.


	2. Chapter 2

**Present Day: **

Matt drove to the courthouse while she just tried to relax before having to go on the witness stand in the criminal trial of Semour Piser. It's not like she had never testified before but this time the story she'd tell arose from when she'd been someone else. A woman with no past who started with a blank slate and it had taken her some time to merge those two lives into one.

"We're going to stop and get some breakfast okay?"

"It'll have to be drive thru because we're running late."

She hadn't eaten anything this morning even though she'd been hungry. After skipping breakfast for a while and making it up at lunch, she'd been glad to enjoy her mainstays of eggs and toast again.

"All right but we'll make up for it at lunch."

She nodded.

"I don't know how much time I'll have left on the stand. It could take all day."

He turned into another street.

"Okay then we'll go out to a steak dinner with all the trimmings."

She smiled at him then.

"Steak will be great…"

They'd been to Santa Fe several times since what had happened. She'd had to testify in the preliminary hearing to push the case to its trial date.

"I'm here to take care of you okay? Anything you want or need…"

She nodded grateful for that and for all the blessings she'd been given in the past two years.

"Thanks Houston…."

They hit the drive thru and left with some egg and steak burritos and orange juice. She missed her coffee but the juice hit the spot and her meal would get her through until lunch. What lay ahead made her both nervous and relieved…she didn't like reliving one of her most painful experiences but at least with her testimony she'd put it behind her and hopefully help put Piser away for good.

Now all she had to do was get through it…

* * *

**About 18 months ago…**

**Sheriff Butz:**

Most people tell me I'm the best sheriff Bannon County ever elected and that I look the part too. I fit the uniform just right and after just a year in office, I lowered the crime rate by about 50% and people feel safe on the streets. I have my deputies clean up all the riff raff, women soliciting for tricks, people ripping off old ladies and vandalizing store fronts. My backers including those at the capitol say if I continue to this well, I'll get reelected for sure.

I had a busy day and back in my office I was combing my hair so I'd look nice just in case anyone saw me eating at the diner later on. Ever since I broke off with Lorena because she wanted to get too serious, I've been quite the ladies' man about town.

The phone rang and that just irritated me. Didn't everyone know I was going off the clock? I put my comb away and went to pick it up.

"Yeah…"

Damn if it didn't turn out to be Jake hanging out at his job at the bar. He called me regular if he had anything that might interest me. But right now, all I wanted was a good meal in my stomach and a willing woman in my bed tonight. You'd be amazed at how the uniform and badge drew women like flies.

"Listen, I got some real cupcakes down here. Think you're really going to like them."

That perked my interest because I remembered how Piser had gotten on me about not finding good enough girls for his parties. They'd been pretty enough for alley cats but they had a thing for trying to run away. Making a few of them examples hadn't cured the rest of them yet.

"Uh the place pretty empty…?"

"Yeah."

I knew what to do next. I'd done it so many times already.

"Good. I'm on my way."

Because he and I had an arrangement and both made out well with it. Those two cupcakes as he called them were as good as mine.

* * *

**Matt: **

I had my arms all wrapped up around Cynthia as we made out on my couch at the office. Lunch had turned to an afternoon spent walking on the marina and then led to dinner at a restaurant overlooking the harbor.

Then of course back to my office where we kissed when we weren't looking at each other, both wanting to spend the night together…nothing serious.

"Oooh you're something else you know that?"

One of my smoother lines but I meant it. The woman knew how to treat a guy and I knew if I played my cards right and I'd played them so often before, we'd wind up in the bedroom downstairs soon enough. She looked back at me totally getting into it but then….it hit me again. I had a phone call to make. I'd been making them all afternoon during lunch, while we'd been at the marina and at the restaurant and now back at the office. All had gone unanswered except for a polite voice telling me that no, either C.J. hadn't checked in the hotel yet or since the last time I'd called. As much as I wanted to end this night just right with Cynthia, I couldn't stop thinking…about C.J. Where the hell was she anyway and why hadn't she called?

Cynthia was about to kiss me again when I put my hand up.

"Hold the thought for a minute….I'm going to try Santa Fe one more time."

It was always one more time I'd promised her, when we were walking hand in hand, toasting each other with wine with our steak and now just before we were heading downstairs. But I knew I had to keep Cynthia happy so I told her why as I made my way out of her arms and towards the phone while she watched.

"I mean…I told her to fly but no she wanted to drive hmm….see the scenery. 800 miles of desert…some scenery…"

I'd already dialed the phone and glanced back at Cynthia.

"Wanted to mix business with pleasure…"

She looked miffed putting her chin in one hand.

"Never works."

"Yes C.J. Parsons checked in yet…She does have a reservation doesn't she…and you haven't heard from her…Yeah minute she comes in have her call me….Matt Houston. She's got my number."

Cynthia had gotten off the couch, her romantic mood completely dissipated.

"I got your number too Houston…ciao."

She chucked me on the chin and headed on out of there leaving me knowing I'd get no action tonight. But I didn't get it, all I wanted to do was to make sure my friend had made it safely to her hotel, what was the big deal about that? Why did Cynthia have to freeze me out?

Why did all my girlfriends have a problem with my relationship with C.J.?

* * *

**C.J.**

I came out of the washroom with Rhonda, looking much better. My head still hurt but not as much. I didn't feel much like hungry but I knew I'd been running on empty all day.

Without knowing who I was, I just felt frozen in place, unsure what to do next. I kept searching and searching inside myself to find something, anything familiar. Anything that made sense since I didn't see it in my surroundings at all…

But when I saw Jake again, the way he looked at Rhonda and me. I knew something had changed.

Rhonda acted as if was normal walking back to the bar while I slowed down my pace, looking around me, sensing that it didn't feel right.

"I know how you must feel hon. I've seen the downside of more two-stop towns than you could imagine. I've had my share of forgotten weeks too."

She put something back in her purse. Jake watched. I didn't know why he watched so intently but it made my neck prickle.

"It'll come back to you."

I wrapped my arms around myself.

"I hope so. I don't know what I'm going to do if it doesn't."

I really didn't because how would I even begin to start knowing how to live without knowing my name or anything else? I couldn't even remember how long I'd been like this and what I'd done to survive. Nothing existed for me except when I woke up next to the burning car.

Rhonda took the practical route as if she'd decided to take care of me. I didn't know why, I just didn't know what else to do.

"Well first thing we got to do is get you something to eat."

I shook my head.

"I'm really not that hungry."

She just looked at me as if I were crazy. Was I crazy?

"You've been walking all day from the looks of it and I doubt you had lunch out there."

Rhonda pointed towards the door.

"I saw a diner down the street."

She grabbed her purse as if she were used to taking charge.

"Well come on…I'm buying."

I hesitated.

"I wish there was something I could do to repay you."

She didn't seem worried.

"Plenty of time to do that later hon. I'm looking forward to meeting some of your classy friends…"

So there was a catch but that made me feel better about it. She helped me now and I repay her later, which made sense when little else did. If she were right about me and I had classy friends, then I had something she wanted.

I didn't see any friends or any faces…except one of a man but it was fleeting. I couldn't hold onto him anymore than anything else.

We started heading towards the door but then saw a burly man dressed in a police uniform. He acted friendly but his eyes…something very different. He had another guy in the same uniform with him.

"Well well…good evening…you ladies going somewhere?"

Rhonda just stared at him. I didn't know what to do so I did the same.

"Yeah…dinner. Is there a law against that around here?"

I guessed she had this conversation before in her life. So did the officer.

"Oh no what I got was a call that you two girls were soliciting in this fine establishment."

Now I knew he wasn't here being friendly. I saw that Jake was trying very hard not to look at us. Rhonda looked ticked off as she looked at me then back at him.

"You got to be kidding…"

"I'm not a man who does very much kidding."

He gestured for the other man to do something and that's when I felt afraid. I didn't know what fear was really or didn't remember beyond feeling my neck prickle or from wondering if I'd ever find out my name. But as I saw Rhonda shove the smaller one back, I knew enough to run.

I had to escape, but where to go?

The two men collided and together hit the wall by the main door blocking it. That left the door just off the washroom into an alley. I ran towards it but Jake sprung into action grabbing my arm before I made it to the doorway. I felt terrified when he did that. I screamed and I fought him, pulling away from where he held me but he was strong. He knew how to keep me from escaping. The burly officer walked towards me and I still tried to get away crying out.

What was happening, why were they trying to hurt me? Was there a reason? Had I done something I didn't remember or…

The bigger guy grabbed me from Jake barking at me to come on and I didn't want to but he was much stronger and I saw the other officer dragging in Rhonda who kicked and struggled against him.

"Let go of me," she yelled.

But neither of us could get away. They pulled us towards the door to take us outside and still I fought, making him drag me across the threshold.

They handcuffed us in back, tightly so my hands hurt and then just tingled and dumped us in the van on the seats. We drove for a while and then they stopped, pulling us out to lead us into a building. I stumbled as I walked and they picked me up. Two deputies removed our cuffs while the burly one who they called Sheriff Butz just watched.

He walked us past the showers and a couple of rooms with glass on the doors where women were inside and then he found an empty one. After unlocking the door, he pushed us inside and I just stood pressing my back against the wall trying to be invisible. I didn't understand this crazy world where things could change so fast. Not too long ago, Rhonda and I were talking in a bar and the next…dragged out to be brought here.

But why? Butz and the other one hadn't said anything to us. They just talked about someone named Piser who would be happy to see us. We were the best ones yet whatever that meant. I didn't know if I wanted to find out.

All I knew how to do was to be quiet, to just watch and run if I had to…run faster to get away. But for now, I'd just wait.

Until I had a chance to run.

* * *

**Chris: **

"Chris you just stay here for the rest of the night in case she calls…what's the latest word from the hotel?"

He sounded more worried as me. I mean he hadn't heard back from C.J. all day and here he was with his bag packed and ready to go off after her. Maybe she got delayed or she met up with some friends and lost track of the time. I didn't think anything bad had happened to her. I mean the lady knew how to take care of herself and had survived jilted stalkers and gunshot wounds for god's sake.

But my boss asked a question and awaited my answer.

"She still hasn't checked in and nobody's heard from her."

He sighed not liking that answer one bit. Yeah I know they're business partners going way back and best friends back even further but don't tell me that's all there is to it. I know that underneath it all they're hot for each other and when they finally realize that, someone in the office will be a few bucks richer after winning the betting pool.

"Something's wrong, I know it and I'm going to find her."

I just looked at him as we walked to the helipad. He really was scared something had happened to her. What was more likely is that he'd run into her at the hotel in Santa Fe. She'd apologize for not phoning in and if either of them has any sense at all, they'd head up to that suite she reserved and make good use of it. Still since he was upset I had to approach him rationally.

"Houston, it's the middle of the night. Don't you think maybe you ought to wait until the morning?"

No interest from him on doing that.

"No…I want you to get me the first flight to Phoenix. That's the last place that we know she was."

I was resigned.

"I'll have a car waiting."

Just like that he was in my copter and on my way to the airport. I didn't want to see him or C.J. again until they had both come to their senses and as long as they did it by the end of the month, I still had a chance to collect.

Until then, I thought I'd order up some pizza. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

**Present Day:**

****Matt and C.J. entered the courthouse and went to meet up with the prosecutor outside the trial courtroom. The hallway was crowded with lawyers and other people but appeared orderly.

He held her hand as he had since they left the car.

"I guess I'd better go," she said, "I'll see you inside."

"I'll be sitting up front," he said, "You get lost or upset with what one of them says, you look at me."

She paused and then nodded.

"It's going to be just fine," he said, "It won't undo what happened to you but this is your chance to say it to a jury. I know you can do it."

She nodded.

"I got to do it for the women who can't...like Carrie. I promised."

He hugged her tightly and she smiled in his embrace. She knew she could handle it if she could get past the first couple of minutes, the time when the judge explained the routine to her, the instructions to the jury and the clerk swearing her in to testify.

Once she started telling her story, their story...she knew she'd keep going until it was time to finish it.

"I'll see you later Houston..."

He watched her walk away as proud of her as he'd ever been.


	3. Chapter 3

**Present Day**

C.J. sat outside in a hallway after hearing from the bailiff there would be a delay in her testimony. Another witness had been called to the stand ahead of her and so she'd been sent to the hallway to wait. Matt had gone to make some business calls before he'd head into the courtroom to sit in the audience. He'd already been given permission by the courts after the judge ruled that listening to the case wouldn't taint his own testimony if he was called to the stand to deliver it. The men on trial had been charged with kidnapping and attempted murder charges in connection to him.

She wished he were with her right now as she tried to mentally prepare herself for her time on the witness stand. Could be a couple of hours, could be all day depending on how much cross-examination the other side wanted to do. Four attorneys had their chance to take their crack at her and she knew that even with the prepping, she'd have to work to keep her focus on her recollections and her words rather than the feelings that they elicited inside her even over a year later. The breakfast she ate filled her up, she'd been so glad that her stomach had handled it much better than she thought.

Marie walked out of the courtroom and smiled at her.

"It shouldn't be too much longer," she said, "They wanted to get done with one of the other girls because her mother's in the hospital back in Ohio."

C.J. nodded.

"It's all right," she said, "How's it going?"

Marie looked thoughtful.

"Better than expected," she said, "the judge is granting our objections and the defense is not happy about that."

C.J. shrugged.

"Goes with the territory," she said, "Been on the good and bad sides of judges myself."

"Well, let's hope it keeps up," she said, "though we have a strong case without any help."

C.J. knew that as a lawyer having survived the preliminary hearing already which had been done not long after Matt's engagement to Elizabeth had broken up.

She'd make it through the trial too, one question and one answer at a time.

* * *

**Earlier…**

I looked around me as the deputy who had grabbed my arm pulled me down the hall. I wanted to fight back but something told me not to resist. Another deputy had taken Rhonda out ahead of me and I had lost sight of her.

She'd been inside the cell sitting on the lower bunk in the spartan cell, looking up as the deputy pushed me into the cell and then slammed the door behind me. I was trapped inside a box, with only a barred window to look out into the darkness. I just pressed my back against a wall, standing rigid, trying to make myself smaller and invisible like I had when I'd been a little girl and something scared me. I don't know how I knew that but I did.

"Nice digs huh," Rhonda said, "though I've seen worse."

I just stared at her my heart still beating fast in my chest. Dizziness filled me as my back slid down the wall, my legs bent and I sat on the floor. The walls seemed to close in on me.

"They'll just hold us for two days," she said, "They have to take us to the judge by that time."

I heard the bemusement in her voice as if she'd been through this so many times. She didn't seem to feel the fear that laced through me even as I tried to stop it. Had I been through this before, been handcuffed and thrown into a jail cell? It didn't feel familiar to me but then nothing did since I woke up without a past.

"I wonder what they want with us."

That was all l could think of saying because I knew the men hadn't grabbed us from the bar and brought us here for no reason.

"They'll take us to court in a day or so like I said. We just have to sit and chill out here until then. Three hots and a cot, it's called."

"Three what?"

Rhonda chuckled ruefully.

"You must have had a quiet life," she said, "it's called being fed and sheltered by the state, beats the cost of a hotel. Except for being locked up behind bars of course."

C.J. just digested that. She felt bewildered, overwhelmed by everything. Sights, sounds and the feelings that raced through me…the images that made no sense but when I tried to focus on them, they disappeared again.

The little girl in the blue dress with ruffles…horses racing across an open field. A young man with dark hair and a smile that warmed up my heart, his warm skin underneath my fingers. The smell of his cologne, his soft eyes…who was he? But before I could remember anything, he'd slipped away into the shadows with the rest of the images filling my head.

I just sat there wrapping my arms around myself trying to forget everything else for a while.

* * *

**Matt **

Chris had the car waiting for me at Phoenix International Airport like she promised and I drove it to the hotel. I checked in and took the elevator up to the suite on top. As soon as I got inside the room, I tossed my suitcase on the bed and reached for my cell phone. I'd checked it as soon as the plane landed but Chris hadn't called me back.

This time she'd left a message saying that C.J. hadn't called the office, I hadn't expected her to do so at this point. I knew something had happened to her and that she was in some type of trouble.

My mind worked quickly and I'd figured that the best place to start would be where she had last checked in which was in Phoenix. She was supposed to leave here after checking out of her hotel in the morning and reach Santa Fe by late afternoon…but I knew she'd never gotten there. So somewhere along the way, something had happened to her.

And I had to find her.

It was after midnight when I arrived so I settled in for the night. But I couldn't sleep, not when I didn't know what had happened to her. She was my best friend since I was a small boy and if it hadn't been for her more than once, I wouldn't have made it this far.

A glass of Scotch stopped my mind from racing, from filling with images of every possible thing that could have happened. Did she get in an accident, did she run into someone who had hurt her? Was she lying in a hospital somewhere, was she…I didn't finish that thought.

I had to think about her alive out there somewhere…and if she was in trouble, I wouldn't stop at anything to find her again.

That was my last thought before I closed my eyes to get some sleep.

* * *

**Rhonda**

I watched Bunny sit against the wall looking lost for a while and then I closed my eyes trying to get to sleep. Not that I felt like it but I knew how important it was to keep sharp to make the most of every opportunity to look for an escape route. I opened my eyes back to see her still sitting there.

"Hey Bunny…you should get some sleep," I said, "Don't know what the morning will bring."

She just looked at me and then she got up a bit stiffly and then walked over to the bottom bunk. I'd taken the top one. I heard the mattress squeak as she lay down on it. I knew that she was lost and couldn't help it. There had been times that I'd forgotten when I got drunk or high. But they always came back to me usually when I didn't want to remember them. I couldn't imagine what it'd be like to have no memory at all, to feel like a blank slate.

"Goodnight Rhonda…"

She sounded sleepy when she said that and I closed my eyes waiting to drift off. I was so used to sleeping at places worse than jail so I knew it wouldn't take long.

But my mind was already thinking of a way to get out of here.


	4. Chapter 4

**Current day…**

The judge called a recess not long after she'd been sworn into testify in the biggest trial currently going on at the courthouse. Marie had gone up to sidebar with the judge over some question she'd been asked about her prior history as an attorney. That got the defense attorney, some big shot named Tex Winston who came with the requisite Stetson hat, huge belt buckle and squeaky cowboy boots.

C.J. hated him on sight. Only partly because he'd come at her either hard or softly after Marie finished with her and mostly because he reminded her of one of the men who sat at the table right next to him Semour Piser.

The only defendant left to stand trial because the other players had all taken deals with Sheriff Butz being the last to fall in line and he'd been given partial immunity meaning he could plead out to a lesser charge of pandering and had already done most of his time. C.J. hadn't been happy when she learned about the deal made behind closed doors but as an attorney herself she understood it. Matt had liked it even less and made that absolutely clear.

He'd been just as guilty as Piser after all. He'd ordered just as many women to be murdered after they tried to escape and his deputies most of whom were doing longer prison terms right now had done what the boss had told them. And when Matt found out what he'd tried to do to her including the threats he made, he decided that the pummeling he'd given Butz when he caught up with him had allowed him to get off too easy.

Marie returned after conferencing with Tex and the judge.

"Court recess for about 30 minutes," she said, "Witness and jury have to leave. Just sit in the conference room until I come get you."

C.J. nodded and stood up. She looked out in the audience and saw Matt.

"I'll be fine," she said, "I know how this works…back when I did some criminal law myself."

Marie smiled.

"Ever think of returning to it?"

The question didn't catch C.J. completely off guard. She'd been asked it before after all but she loved working with Matt on his foundation and in his investigative agency even though she couldn't take an active role in it right now.

The last year had been really good for her, for the both of them in ways neither imagined before it all started. He'd just ended another engagement and she'd taken a couple months off working in a legal _aid clinic in Puerto Rica…needing to get away from L.A. for a while. The time spent there helped her_ regain her perspective in a new and very exciting way.

But as for right now, she had 30 minutes and a few feet to travel to the man she wanted to share it with while the attorneys on both sides hashed out the issue.

* * *

_**Earlier… **_

My head finally stopped hurting so much and the dizziness faded away but I felt so damn thirsty having nothing to drink the entire day. Maybe for days longer…I had no idea what happened before I woke up beside the burning car.

Maybe my car…maybe there'd been someone else. Rhonda had said something about some guy working me up real good and she meant that he hit me. I don't remember anything about that…I remember a man. A young guy with dark curly hair and the most intense but warmest pair of brown eyes, lean but ruggedly built and…I don't know how I knew this but he never took a hand to me. I knew that somehow more than I knew just about anything.

Rhonda had started pacing the room. I could hear her as I lay on my bunk trying to make sense of what had happened. She and I, we'd been in the bar about to leave to go get something to eat at a nearby diner. I didn't have any money on me but she didn't care…she wanted to meet my friends. That sounded fine to me because I don't remember having any but I felt hungry.

Then the men had arrived, the bad men wearing badges. Was that what wearing badges meant, that you rushed into a place and grabbed women yanking them out of there and throwing them in the back of a van without a reason?

Soliciting what the hell was that anyway? I came in looking for something familiar to me in a world that I didn't recognize…anything that I might remember about my life. My name for starters but even without that…there were ways to figure out who I am…what I did and what happened to me.

Who was the man inside my mind, who would flash in front of me as plain as if he were standing there? What was his name and how did I know him?

"I know what they want Bunny…you still awake? You know if you hit your head you can't go to sleep…else you'll never wake up again."

I heard the certainty in her voice and thought, what did she mean by that? I close my eyes, I don't wake up again? Maybe I'm just dreaming about all what happened and instead I'll wake up in my own bed inside my own house and maybe with that man right beside me…holding me tight and telling me it's just a dream.

"I'm awake…I can't sleep. I don't know what's going to happen."

"Like I told you…they have a certain time before we have to go before a judge," Rhonda said, "Most likely they'll let us go with a citation…and then we'll have to do community service or pay a fine."

"A fine for what…what did we do anyway?"

Rhonda paused before answering.

"Nothing…this is a fucking setup," she said, "They do this to single woman all the time in these backwoods towns. Prey on them just to exhort our money out of us so we don't stay in jail."

Apprehension filled me…made my skin prickle and I felt almost breathless sometimes when I allowed myself to think too much.

"I don't have any money."

Rhonda chuckled in response.

"Oh you do honey…I know it based on your clothes, your watch," she said, "The cut and style of your hair…you come from money, you just don't remember that."

I touched my hair which just felt heavy in the waves that fell around my shoulders. Parts of it were stiff from where blood had dried most likely. I hadn't been able to wash it today to get it out.

"Someone's out looking for you," Rhonda said, "Someone's got to be…you tell anyone where you were going? Before you hit your head…?"

I sighed, trying to remember but knowing the futility of pushing too hard. I didn't want my head to start hurting again.

"I don't know…I don't know what I was doing just like I don't know who I am," I said, "I try to remember and it's…nothing."

"Don't push too hard then," Rhonda said, "You might bust an aneurysm."

I frowned not liking the word.

"A what?"

"Never mind…listen we've got to get a plan on getting out of here…and quick."

I propped myself up on the bunk, hearing the mattress squeak beneath me.

"Why…if we're just going to the judge, then what's to worry about…if it'll get us out of here."

Rhonda stopped pacing and I saw her outline near the only window.

"I don't know…but something's not right here…like I said it could be a scam so maybe we best not stick around and see how it ends."

I thought about that and I know I couldn't be here by myself. If Rhonda left, I wanted to go with her. Inside my head, I felt like we needed to…plan…figure out ahead of time what to do and it all fell together in the necessity of that. Almost as if I had been taught…but pushing beyond that made my head ache again.

"Okay then…what'll we do?"

I listened as Rhonda related her idea of what to do next.

* * *

**Matt**

I can't sleep at all and it has nothing with being in a strange bed inside a hotel in another place. I'm a man who travels on business all around the world so I'm used to that. No, this is about wanting to see someone so badly that I ache with it and my mind can't settle down for sleep.

I had gotten some shuteye on the plane but now I just felt restless. I needed to find out what had happened to C.J. since we spoke last a day ago. I'd wasted too much damn time not listening to the feeling in my gut that something wasn't right…something had happened to her and that she needed me to come find her again.

She'd done the same for me so many times without asking. Been the best friend a little boy could possibly have after he'd been kidnapped and forced to lie in a hole deep in the ground in total darkness for days and nights. Feeling as if he'd been buried alive…and even after being rescued by his daddy, too damn scared to even talk about it…to anyone. I didn't want to hurt my daddy by being any different than what I'd been before the men took me. I wanted everything to be the same but it wasn't…I had nightmares that drenched my pajamas and nearly suffocated me and even in the day…I saw the men when they weren't really there.

If it hadn't been for C.J….I'd still be in that pit. Somehow she saw right through what I showed everyone else and saw what lived underneath. She reached out to me and I'd grabbed onto her like a life rope. Even as a little girl, she'd somehow understood people very well…and knew what to do or say to them. One reason why she'd made one hell of an attorney and business partner to me.

Then when I got kidnapped again just months ago and lost 30 days of my life, wiped clean like a slate. She'd been there to help me find the truth even though I'd been set up to look like the most brutal type of killer of an innocent woman.

She never stopped doing what she could to clear my name…even took a bullet and didn't want to tell me about it…so I wouldn't rush her to the hospital and get caught again. But there was no chance I'd ever trade her life for my freedom. So I ignored her protests as she bit back the pain to try to force me to go for my freedom and I got her to the hospital in time to save her life. She lay shivering in the seat next to me in the car and by the time I arrived at Mercy General, she'd been unconscious from loss of blood.

When they took her away to the operating room I knew I made the right decision even though within minutes I was forced against a wall and had cuffs slapped on my wrists by cops.

I'd gotten out of that and she'd told me something that I remembered now as I lay in bed trying to sleep. We'd been under a hail of bullets inside that building just inches away from where my ex girlfriend had taken a bullet to the chest. We thought we were next…that the next few moments…or seconds would be our last together on this earth.

She told me she loved me, so quietly but I heard it. It blew me away but there wasn't any time for that so I tucked it away inside of me because I knew that death wasn't going to get either one of us.

I never returned to what she told me and how it made me feel…being on the run made everything else secondary but the whole time I was away from her, I felt it more keenly than anything.

By the time I thought of telling her, life had gone one…my uncle joined me in my business and Robert breezed in like a blast from the past sweeping her off her feet and into his arms.

I knew I had to let it all go and move on in life…but even now later while I searched for her…I knew I couldn't ever forget it.


	5. Chapter 5

C.J. smiled as she sat by the conference room pouring herself a glass of water from the pitcher. Matt joined her as they both sat together waiting for the recess to end and the trial to resume.

"You think it's a mistrial this time?"

She shrugged, not knowing what to think. Recesses were called during trials all the time while attorneys hashed out disagreements on issues in front of the presiding judge. She could be back on the witness stand in a matter of minutes or done for the rest of the day.

"I hope not…I really want to get this done and behind me."

He reached for her hand and squeezed it when he took hold of it.

"I know and I hope this is it," he said, "but if it's not, we'll get through it okay?

She paused and then she nodded. She knew he was right. They'd been through two aborted trials that ended before she even reached the stand, one of them with the deal made by Butz. But she didn't want to spend any more of her life stuck in this process than necessary though she understood why she was here. She was one of the living like Rhonda, Fran and some of the others who were left to speak for the dead.

Carrie for one…Sheila and Holly, these were names that C.J. had only learned about later in the investigation process which tracked the past four years of Butz and Piser's prostitution ring. She'd wept for all of them as she got to know them through conversations with Marie and other prosecutors, some of the detectives with the state police that investigated the case.

The most shocking day of all had been when they were tipped off by one of the deputies who was looking for the easiest way out of jail and told them about the unmarked graves in the desert outside the dusty town in Bannon County.

She found out only later that she was supposed to join the dead women in one of those graves that this had been Butz' plans for her once she ceased to be Bunny and became C.J. Parsons, a missing lawyer out of L.A. Joining her in the desert would have been Matt, who had shown up looking for her. Not knowing he had met up with some of the ones responsible for C.J.'s disappearance.

Instead they had both survived and Butz and Piser had gone to jail with most of the deputies along with the bartender that ran the place where she and Rhonda had been arrested.

She looked over at him right now, her most favorite face in the whole wide world and she squeezed his hand back.

"I know Houston…I have to tell the whole story to the jury and then have the defense try to tear it apart slowly at the seams with each question."

"You can do this…and I'll be right there in the audience…you get lost up there, look at me."

She nodded, and smiled at him.

"Okay…and after we're done today…I want a steak dinner with all the trimmings…"

He leaned forward.

"I can do that…how about some roasted potatoes and some of those sautéed vegetables."

"I'll have to forgo the wine…"

He smiled again.

"We'll come up with something," he said, "whatever happens today you got yourself a date."

* * *

**Earlier…**

I opened my eyes wondering where I'd be and whether or not I'd slide back into my real identity like I'd never left it. But what I saw was a stream of sunlight that must have come though the bars of the window into the cell. I looked around and noticed I was still in the same bunk where I had fallen asleep.

My name, I knew it wasn't Bunny but didn't know what else to call myself. Rhonda had already woken up and was looking outside the window out onto what looked like a grassy yard with benches and tables. Some trees that were clearly planted not long ago and when I joined Rhonda I saw some women gathering near one of the tables to line up, obviously waiting for something to happen. A dark haired girl whose hair streamed down her back jostled with another blonde woman, while a tall woman with short red hair handed her a cigarette.

"Must be breakfast…"

Rhonda didn't sound too enthusiastic but I felt my stomach rumble. I didn't know when I'd last eaten and felt a bit weak.

"Should we go out and join them?"

Rhonda folded her arms.

"We're locked in here," she said, "We have to wait until they let us go out and join the others. I wonder what's keeping them."

I only shrugged my eyes still on what happened outside. I saw some deputies bring over steel bins and pitchers of liquid, placing them on the tables which attracted the attention of the women there who moved closer, shoving each other while they lined up.

None of what happened meant anything to me. Nothing made sense. I'd dreamed about the man while I slept but when I woke up, I was back here.

"Maybe they have something different in mind for us…since we're new."

It turned out she was partially right.

* * *

**Butz**

I got a call from Piser hassling me about what happened at the last party on his ranch. He still hadn't gotten over Carrie taking off like that even though she'd been handled by Romart. My deputy made damn sure she'd never be a problem to anyone again.

It took him longer to come back this time. He had to drive further out of town into the desert because the bodies were starting to fill the areas closest to the town limits. The grave he dug for Carrie had taken him longer to dig because the lack of summer rains had made the dirt as hard as granite but he came back after three hours, the job done.

She'd been a pretty thing but nothing special. None of them were special. They were all someone's trash that had been thrown away. Girls kicked out of their homes by parents who tired of them. Wives tossed to the curb by husbands scraping to survive like alley cats. I gave them a way out, sure they got arrested and tossed into jail but they were heading that way anyway. It'd only be a matter of time until they wound up in the system. Runaways, truants, all around trouble makers, I did the world a favor by putting them to use when no one else wanted them.

When my guy Jake called me about these two girls that showed up in his place, I thought them just two more strays to pick up. But then I remember that Piser had told me flat out that I needed to get him some better classy girls for his parties for the big guys in the capitol. I wondered what world he lived in…classy women didn't just wonder through Bannon County, only the trashy ones did…so at first I thought I'd got me two more of them.

But when I saw Bunny, I knew I'd hit pay dirt. She wasn't some stray someone kicked out onto the street. If they did, the guy who messed her up was some rich dude who'd played with her and gotten tired trading her in for another girl. She had quality threads on, a fancy watch and looked like a woman who was going places. How she'd wound up here, I could only guess… a pretty looking thing like her didn't belong in Bannon County. But she'd just shown up anyway in the bar according to Jake and no one claimed her.

I figured her name wasn't Bunny but I'd play along with her game to get my hands on her and so Romart and I just grabbed them before they knew what happened. Oh, Bunny tried skipping out the back way but between Romart and me, we made short work of her and the other stray Rhonda. We grabbed them kicking and hitting like wildcats out of the bar and tossed them in the van.

We knew the ride would settle them down and we'd deal with them back at the detention center but I knew on the drive there, I already had plans for Bunny. I know the rules…I knew that Piser had first pick of any girl I picked up and he picked their dates for them. I just kept the records for him because they'd be safer with me than with a member of the state parole board.

No, Piser wouldn't be getting his hands on Bunny. He'd just never know about her. I'd hide her away in the jail where he couldn't find her and keep her out of the record keeping. There were ways to hide her from him so I could keep her myself.

She looked wild in the bar but I knew how to handle women like that, how to break them like fillies and get them to go with the program. I let them know what would happen to them if they broke the rules and that plus the promise of lighter sentences kept most of them in line.

I didn't know if it'd work with Bunny but I knew what to do with her. I had to show her who was boss over her, who she belonged to, who owned her body and controlled it. Who made the decision whether she'd live each day or wind up buried in the unmarked grave in the desert with the rest of them.

Soon I'd find out how smart she was, how quick she learned and what she was willing to do to stay alive each day and each night.

I called Romart into the office and told him to bring her straight to me.

* * *

**Matt**

I hit the road not long after sunrise. Didn't sleep much of the night but hit the diner for a quick omelet and a lot of black coffee to wake me up. I knew it'd be a long day ahead spent out looking for her and I didn't know how it'd end.

I might find her soon enough in some hotel or motel maybe having gotten so caught up in her road trip that she'd forgotten to check in. I vetoed that scenario right off. People didn't come along more responsible than C.J. and she'd never failed to check in on time no matter what. I knew she did it so I wouldn't worry about her but she also knew that if she ever ran into trouble she couldn't get out of then her record of doing so might wind up saving her life.

That'd happened more than once including when she'd been at the hospital two years back visiting Bo who'd been hurt by a bomb in a birthday present for me. Delivered to me special by a assassin that had been crashed out of prison by Costanos, the man who I had once hunted relentlessly who had started hunting me. C.J. had been kidnapped by him and an accomplice after leaving the hospital and when she hadn't checked in, I knew right away before calling Vince that Costanos had her. Even before he called me personal to give the news.

I just knew my best friend would always check in with me to reassure me everything was okay. Only this time she hadn't and so I knew she needed my help. But how to find her considering she might have covered as several hundred miles of highway from Phoenix where she last checked in to Santa Fe where she was supposed to be.

So I knew she wasn't at a motel, so that left hospitals and police stations to check in on the way in case she either wound up injured or had been the victim of a crime. The one thing that I didn't want to think about was another mandatory place to check, and that would be the morgues.

I closed my eyes just thinking of the word and knew I couldn't face the task of having to ID a body that turned up…that might be her…just because I didn't get to her in time.

No, I had to keep positive. She was out there and she might be in trouble but I knew she must be alive. I couldn't think of it any other way and I knew I'd find her.

So I got in the rental and started down the highway which was mostly desert. A lot of wide open space clear to the distant mountains and the sun rising over them into the sky. It'd be a hot day I knew and I imagined her out there wandering in the scorching heat of the desert.

What had happened to her? She couldn't have disappeared off the face of the earth but as I checked in every city and town…or truck stop on the way no sign of her in any hospitals, police stations, motels and most thankfully, in any morgue.

I knew that I'd be heading into what the map called Bannon County which had towns sprinkled throughout it none of them of any significance. All surrounded by some of the most barren desert in this part of the country.

Nothing to be found there I felt pretty sure but decided I needed to check it out anyway so I kept driving until I reached the county limits.

And that's when everything changed.


	6. Chapter 6

C.J. never imagined what it'd be like to sit on the witness stand and testify about what had happened when she'd had amnesia. What it'd been like to wake up and not remember anything, like having a blank slate on one's life. She still didn't know who'd she became when she didn't have her identity to fall back on and whether or not that persona she'd adopted to survive had completely left her.

Her counselor told her that most likely she'd slowly integrated it into her own personality. She'd noticed changes in herself from what had happened in Bannon County. The year that had followed had been eventful in both good and in bad ways for her and those she loved. She'd smiled and shed some tears just at the memories.

But now she had to focus on answering Marie's questions. Those would come much more easily than having to do the same with Tex who raised an objection here and there and conferred with Piser who sat next to him.

"So when you first were brought to the jail, what were you thinking? Were you wondering what you did wrong? That these officers of the law sworn to take an oath to serve and protect had other more sinister plans for you instead?"

C.J. knew enough not to answer and she watched as Tex stood out of his chair in response.

"Objection Your Honor…Leading the witness…again I might add."

Marie folded her arms.

"Establishing foundation…as to her mindset when she got there…"

Tex howled.

"She had amnesia for god sake. What the hell does it matter what she was thinking?"

The judge flashed a stern look at him.

"Language Mr. Winston…I warned you more than once," the judge said, "But objection sustained, rephrase your question…"

"Okay…now when you were first bought to the jail, what were you thinking?"

C.J. paused before answering, the memories flashing through her head again.

"That I'd fallen in a deep dark hole and I'd never see the light outside of it again…"

* * *

**Earlier…**

I waited inside the cell as the sun shone more forcibly through the window, lighting up the entire cell. It looked different in the daylight, sparse with little inside it besides us. Two bunk attached to the wall, with bedding on them. A sink fixed to the wall with what might have been a mirror above it but when I got out of bed to wash up as best I was able I couldn't see my reflection. I hadn't known much about what I looked like beyond that I had thick hair that had been stained by blood. I wore clothes that Rhonda had told me meant I came from money. My watch would fetch some serious money; she'd told me too if I pawned it. I looked it and nothing registered about it, just a watch that told me that many hours had passed since I'd wound up inside a body I barely recognized.

"God, I wish they'd feed us," Rhonda moaned, "I haven't eaten since breakfast yesterday."

I hadn't eaten not that I remembered. My stomach rumbled too but I felt this tension inside of me that just wouldn't leave. I wanted to get out of here in the worst way. Whoever I was I couldn't belong here…no it just didn't feel…but then again I was here right now trying to see my reflection in a mirror that reflected nothing.

Rhonda had started pacing again. I felt like it too but I knew I needed to save my energy. My head didn't hurt so much but my muscles ached and I felt a bit dizzy. Maybe eating something would help because I really needed to clear my head if I was ever going to figure out what to do…how to get out of here.

We both heard the footsteps approaching at the same time and our attention turned towards the locked door of our cell and Rhonda walked up to look out the small window just before two deputies unlocked it and then opened it.

Rhonda folded her arms.

"About time you showed up," she said, "I'm feeling real hungry right now and I'm not happy when I'm hungry."

Romart and another deputy, Ortiz according to his tag just looked at each other and then Ortiz gestured to Rhonda.

"You…are going to join the others for the morning meal," he said, "We've got something special for you to do later today and so don't doddle with your food."

She didn't budge.

"Just get me fed and then I'll be ready to do anything…"

Ortiz grabbed her arm and she left the cell. I started to follow her thinking I'd be joining her at breakfast but Romart stepped in my path.

"Not you sugar…you're going to see Butz first."

That confused me. Why wasn't I going to join the others? What did Butz want with me? I knew he was the sheriff who had grabbed me last night at the bar as I'd fought so hard to get away. He'd enjoyed it too, Iknew that and Iknew he thought I was pretty.

"You better behave yourself too," Romart said, "It'll go a lot better that way."

He grabbed my arm hard and I fought the urge to shrug him off of me as we walked to Butz' office.

**Rhonda**

That creep Ortiz took me out to the yard where the other girls were either lined up getting food or sitting at tables eating and talking about nothing. You didn't share much about behind bars, lest it be used against you. Never show any sign of weakness and don't snitch out someone else. I walked out there beside Ortiz like I was some tough shit.

But inside, I might be just as wary but I always felt fear. Just couldn't show it to anyone. Bunny had been real good at that before like she'd learned that lesson too, not to show fear to the enemy. Maybe she had done some time after all. Just no telling with someone who lost all their memories except it got beaten out of them or they'd come off one hell of a bender. Like I told her, been there myself.

I got into line and noticed right off a young girl looking barely out of her teens with long dark hair and an attitude. There's a top dog in every jail yard, and being that we're women a top bitch. I knew it must be this girl by the chip she carried on her shoulder and the way she'd strutted to the table.

Make that a boulder on her shoulder as she shoved some blonde chick onto the ground in a split second and took her seat as if she owned it.

She probably did. The way the others deferred to her. Fran, her name was as Ortiz had mentioned her when we came out on the yard.

Don't get on her bad side, he warned. But I didn't take flak from anyone even a girl who fancied herself the top bitch of the yard. The tall girl with the short red hair was her sidekick, Babs and she catered to Fran's every whim.

Pathetic…but I just picked up my tray after a deputy named Jenkins loaded it with food including the usual powdered eggs and flabby ham meal I'd eaten so many times and a glass of something that resembled orange punch

Then I went to go sit down but that's when Fran stood up from her seat to check me out and she didn't look too pleased judging by the look on her face.

Great, my first morning in jail, my first breakfast and I was already looking at my first slap down.

**Matt **

The highway just stretched in front of me all the way to the horizon and I'd traveled more of it than I wanted to in my search for C.J. The list of hotels, motels, police stations, deputy headquarters, hospitals and…morgues grew but still no sign of her.

Nothing like her had shown up in any places or anything. I heard that over and over again and my frustration grew but a part of me felt deeply relieved too.

At one morgue in a small hospital in a town named Cactus Rose I had to check out a Jane Doe that had turned up dumped at the side of the road. No ID on her partly clad body…her body badly bruised and she'd been a young woman in good health and with wavy brunette hair when she'd been alive a day or so earlier.

Probably accepted a ride home from the wrong person, the deputy told me as we went down the elevator into the basement not that I heard much of what he told me. My heart was squeezed so tight inside my chest, my mouth dry as sandpaper as I tried to tell myself over and over, it's not her lying inside a drawer with the rest of the bodies. Not C.J. my best friend and I felt guilty for wanting it not to be her but someone else. Someone else's best friend, daughter or mother and I hated myself for that I just couldn't face losing her not like this…not when I could have acted sooner when she hadn't called and been out here and probably found her by now. I'd never be able to live with myself if I found out I'd been one hour, one second too late to save her life.

I'd been down this road before and it'd nearly destroyed me. My cousin…Will and I were tight like brothers growing up. We did everything together. Riding including some mean son of a gun bulls in rodeos, hiked together in the foothills near the ranch, played football together and when Will wanted to enlist to aid Uncle Sam in fighting terrorism around the world, I signed up too.

Only I'd come back home in one piece and he hadn't…I'd lost him too and watched him get leave Bagdad with his squad out to do some recon and next I knew…the entire squad was blown up and he'd turned up missing presumably dead.

It'd been 10 years and I'd never seen him again. Nothing to visit but a headstone covering an empty grave plot in a cemetery just outside of Houston….just in case his body even a piece of him identified with DNA testing could be found. They had all our samples on file, I knew it could happen, it just hadn't yet.

But I'd nearly driven myself to the nut house for a while there because I knew I could have saved him, if only I'd just known that death waited for my cousin just outside my view. If it hadn't been for C.J…well she'd pulled me out of it…and then kicked me to the curb. Leaving me to decide whether or not I wanted to live myself…told me later it was the toughest thing she ever did…chewing me out, ripping me a new one and I said things back to her…I couldn't ever take back…but when the dust settled I did find my way back and when she pulled me into her arms when I'd cried for the first time in years in front of someone…I felt at home again.

Now I had to pull her out of something but I didn't know what. I just knew I had to find her while there was still time.

There just had to be time…and that's what I thought when I drove down the god forsaken stretch of barren highway looking for any sign of her.

And that's when I saw the burned up shell of a car by the side of the road. My heart nearly stopped inside of me as I took a closer look at it and then I knew.

I'd found her car.


	7. Chapter 7

C.J. left the witness stand for the noon recess, feeling thoroughly drained already and she hadn't even finished telling her story. Not that Tex seemed eager to let her go into great detail about what had happened to her when she'd been held captive at the Bannon County Detention Center.

She lost count of how many times he'd barked objections interrupting her narrative. But she knew that was part of the problem. Tex didn't want the jury to hear a cohesive account of what had happened including the crimes that had been committed against her and the other women. He wanted it broken into pieces the jury couldn't make sense of until he could use his cross-examination to recreate a tale that would portray his client in a much more favorable light.

But lunch recess had interrupted and the judge had tossed in an extra hour due to a judges' staff meeting that would take the additional time. C.J. finished her glass of water and got up to go meet Matt who remained in the room after most everyone else had left.

He wrapped his arms around her without her needing to ask him. After all he'd been watching her testify the past several hours and he knew what it took out of her.

The prosecutor and he had reached a tenuous understanding. Marie took care of C.J. while she was on the witness stand and he took over once she stepped off of it.

"Let's go get some lunch okay?"

She nodded, leaning her head against his shoulder a bit while they left the courtroom to the car.

"You think I'm doing okay?"

"You're the lawyer," he said, "I'm just the PI."

She smiled at him.

"I know but it's different when the lawyer's the one set to be grilled rather than the one doing the grilling."

She tried not to betray the nervousness in her voice but he read it anyway. She knew when he tightened his grip.

"Yeah I'm sure it is but you've got the truth C.J. and that counts for a lot."

She smiled again at him for saying that but she knew often that might not be enough.

"I hope so…and not just for me."

He knew what she meant…the testifying might be done by the living who had been left to speak for the dead.

* * *

**Earlier…**

**Butz **

The phone rang while I waited for Romart to bring in the prisoner, the one who called herself Bunny. I knew it would be Piser before I picked it up.

"Hello Piser…"

"Butz…have you gotten any new girls for the party tonight? I have three state senators coming this time who'll owe me by the time it's done."

I knew he had been counting on me to make up for the debacle at the last party held at his ranch just outside of town.

"I do…in fact I picked up a couple of numbers last night…Jake tipped me off on two gals who showed up at his bar and so I got a deputy and went to pick them up."

"I see…more strays who wandered into town?"

The smile that crept across my face was for me alone because I knew that under our deal Piser had first pick of the new additions to our collection of party girls. But not this time, not with a quality piece like Bunny.

"Maybe…but I've got one who's ready for the party, a pretty redheaded thing who'll be a crowd pleaser."

Piser paused.

"I'll check her out when she arrives with the others," he said, "you said two girls…"

I hesitated knowing I had to play my cards carefully. I had no intention of letting Piser get his hands on Bunny, squeezing me out of keeping her to myself. I'd been looking for a replacement to the last girl who I looked after in exchange for some good times. I treated her real good, dressed her up real nice and she played along.

Until one day she tried to escape over the tall fence surrounding the detention center and almost got away. Almost didn't count enough and she earned herself a long nap out in the desert, her body reduced to bones and dust by now under that hot sun.

I knew I had to teach this Bunny right from the start. But that meant keeping her a secret from my partner on the phone.

"She's a pretty young thing…but not nearly ready," I said, "Soon as I get her settled, she'll be on the list."

I heard him chuckle on the other end.

"Soon as you're done having fun with her…I get it but she better not be the better of the two," he said, "You hold out on me and I'm not going to be too happy with you and you know how I get when I'm not happy."

I did surely enough and I kept Piser happy. But this time he'd be happy and ignorant. Suddenly I heard the footsteps of my deputy and I knew he was bringing her to me.

"Got to go Piser…I'll see you later at the party…"

"Okay but this batch of girls had best be better than the last or I'll rethink this partnership."

I shrugged. He'd threatened that before many times but never followed through with it. Truth was, he needed me because otherwise he'd be exposed and a man in his position couldn't afford that.

That's where I came in, I did all the heavy stuff and I deserved a little extra because of that and as I looked towards the doorway, I saw that my little extra had just walked in.

I told my deputies to leave us alone.

* * *

**Matt **

When I saw the car, I didn't think the worst right away. I'd been with her when she'd bought it at a dealership to replace her old Mustang that had been dropping parts all over L.A. She really needed to get herself a new set of wheels so she finally agreed to it.

Telling me right off she didn't want anything fancy…just a ride that would get her places she needed to go without showing off. I loved my fancy cars with all their accessories, the most powerful engine money could buy and the best looking bodywork. Slim, when she'd worked for me had kept my collection of cars all looking so nice and running perfect. But she fell in love with a pro surfer that hit Malibu for a good time on his way to Half Moon Bay. The two of them hit it off at one of those dance clubs and soon enough got hitched for real within six weeks of when they first met.

I was real happy for them but it cost me my best mechanic and so my turnover in cars had picked up quite a bit. I stuck mostly with the red Mercedes convertible but had gotten a rental when the plane touched the ground in Phoenix. Along with extra insurance given that my track record with rentals wasn't so great.

Cost of doing business in a dangerous profession I called it but the insurance company called it higher premiums on top of a first tier deductible.

But C.J. had found herself a nice convertible and fallen in love with it so she put cash down on it right away and took it home.

Right now, it had been burned to a crisp, the metal all twisted and I knew she'd been in some sort of accident. But I also knew she'd more than likely gotten herself out of the car in time unless…but no, she hadn't turned up in any hospitals or morgues so far.

The man looked up as I drove off the highway and pulled into the parking lot of his garage. It looked like he'd just hauled her car from someplace else.

"Where'd you find that?"

He shrugged.

"Oh down the road a bit," he said, "No one there…must have been abandoned. I recognized it though."

"How…it belongs to a friend of mine."

The man's brows arched up.

"A lady friend…?"

I nodded and pulled out a familiar photo that I'd been showing people all day. It had been taken when she first started working for Houston Enterprises back when it'd been smaller.

"Listen is she hurt, where can I find her? Have you seen her anywhere?"

All these thoughts ran through my head all a sudden and I didn't want my questions answered though I knew there was no avoiding it. But the man just glanced at the photo not looking too concerned about it.

"Yeah that's her. She pulled in her yesterday I think it was…pretty young thing," he said, "but no one like hers turned up in the hospitals or morgues or anything."

I felt the familiar relief flood through me at his words. God knows I wanted to find her but I knew she had to be out there alive and not lying dead on a slab in the basement of some hospital.

"I bet she just wrecked her car and left it…maybe hitched a ride into the next town," the man said, "I'm sure she'll turn up."

I nodded and left knowing there was a town about two miles down the highway and I'd stop there and ask around. Maybe stop and get a bite to eat after I checked in with Chris back in L.A.

I got back into my car and drove towards it, not knowing what waited for me there.

* * *

**C.J.**

I walked inside Butz office and I knew I was in serious trouble. I definitely knew it when he ordered the deputies who brought me to leave us alone.

Just the two of us and when he got that smile on his face…I felt coldness deep inside of me that I didn't know existed inside a person. I wanted to run but my feet remained planted, nowhere to run to right now that I wouldn't just get caught again.

He just looked at me, examined me so thoroughly with those beady eyes which sank into his puffy face. His hair looked unkempt, his body solid if heavy in bulk. That damn star pinned to his chest meant only one thing to me, that those who wore it could do what they wanted to anyone. I knew he intended to do just that with me.

He walked towards me and I took a step backward.

"Shy are we…well hanging with those girls will change all that…what's your name by the way?"

His voice all friendly like losing the menace that laced it before…I knew I was being played by him but I remained silent almost as if I didn't understand. Mostly not acting because I didn't understand what was happening or how I'd gotten here.

"I heard it's Bunny…"

I knew that wasn't my name. Whatever it was…I knew I wasn't named after an animal. But he'd gone to his desk and started writing it down on some paper.

"My name's not Bunny…"

He just leered at me as it didn't seem to matter much to him.

"You're a pretty young thing aren't you…a bit shy but that don't bother me," he said, "I can make your life very simple or very difficult. I'll just tell you that right now."

I just looked at him, following him with my eyes carefully as he got out of his chair again and started moving around. That put me on edge, on the balls of my feet. My hands itching at my sides, feeling useless…as all I could do was watch him. I didn't know what he wanted from me or why I'd been brought here.

"You wanting simple…or much harder… because I think you're the nicest looking piece of ass I've seen in these parts in a good while."

I just balled my hands into fists still watching him as he came closer, close enough so I could smell his odor rankled my nose. I didn't dare move; I didn't dare imagine what he wanted…because I was beginning to understand.

"I might keep you for myself you know that," he said, "Dress you in fine silks, satins…"

He reached out with one of his sweaty hands and started touching me, caressing the collar of my top, his fingers straying over my upper hands. I wanted to shrink away but the look in his eyes stopped me.

"Take good care of you…watch over you…keep you out of the general population…be a shame to see that pretty face of yours scratched up by a bunch of alley cats…"

I felt the panic inside of me then. No, he couldn't want…I didn't know exactly what he wanted but a piece of me I held the tightest, the closest to the part of me…that was me.

"You got a mouth…you just going to stand and stare at me?"

I found my voice, haltingly.

"I…I don't understand…what is it that you want from me?"

He just chuckled.

"Oh a whore like you might be dressed up nicely but don't mean you don't know what I want…and you're going to give it to me…"

I tried to back away and he grabbed my arm, squeezing it tight, forcing me to look at him.

"I…."

Then his eyes grew harder than any I'd ever seen before and his grip tightened.

"It's time to start your orientation and by the time I finish, you'll do exactly what I want."

I looked at him, my body frozen, my heart thudding inside my chest unable to move and I knew exactly what he wanted.


	8. Chapter 8

C.J. lay next to him on the bed in semi darkness back at the hotel. With the extra hours for recess, all she wanted to do was go back and forget about it all for a while. Matt drove them back to their suite and they settled in to order some room service, some sandwiches and iced tea with lemon. They just talked about the work they'd left behind which seemed like more normal conversation. After he cleared the plates away, she headed to the bed for some rest, curling up on top of the covers.

He slipped in next to her without asking and wrapped his arms around her while she placed her head on his chest listening for his heartbeat as she often did when they were together.

"Busy morning wasn't it?"

She chuckled.

"You could say that…I know I can do this and I've waited long enough. It's not easy but it's not as hard as I thought it might be. It's almost like…"

"A relief…?"

She moved her face to look at him.

"Yeah…exactly…Those were really difficult times…scary too but so much has happened since then…so many good things."

He agreed with her in words and with the way he settled a hand on one of her hips and then kissed her softly on the mouth, tasting her. Her breath quickened as it usually did when everything else receded and she focused on him and the ways that he loved her.

Then he pulled away, their faces inches apart and his eyes looked so damn serious.

"Some very special things too…"

She nodded, understanding what he meant and then she kissed him again.

* * *

_**Earlier…**_

I didn't dare move…because if I did…he might want it more. Weren't men like that, they'd find out what you didn't want them to do and then they did it anyway? I didn't want the bartender to look at me like he did when I entered. I wanted him to help me figure out who I am and what had happened to me. I wanted him to tell me that he knew me from my having been there before or I wanted him to point me to someone who would help me with my questions.

Instead, he looked at me just like Butz looked at me right now. He offered me a cot to rest in the back but the way he looked…I didn't trust it or him. I was learning not to trust…maybe it wasn't a new skill for me. Had I ever trusted anyone?

Then in an instant it hit me. The answer to that question when I saw the man again in front of me.

_Yes…_

He wasn't there now. I had to deal with the man in front of me. The man with the star on his chest and the gun on his waist….I had wanted him to help me too. But instead he yelled at me, chased me as if I were prey and grabbed hold of me so tightly I could barely breathe. I could fight and the blood rushed through me, I knew I had fought before to get away.

Butz just stood looking at me as if he had all the time in the world and I didn't. Balling my fists at my side had given me some resolve but I knew I'd never make it to the door and if I did…I didn't know how many deputies waited to catch me.

"Nowhere to go Bunny…until I'm finished with you…"

I swallowed the bile that threatened to rise up my throat and felt my heart pounding in my chest, heard a rushing sound inside my head like a current. My eyes flittered around the room, looking for anything to help me.

"Now don't be giving me any trouble now."

I didn't move and neither did he but I counted down the seconds. Inside my head a plan formed from I couldn't guess where. Something or someone told me to center my gravity, lower body, legs counted more than upper and to look for certain things…weaknesses in my opponent.

"_To out maneuver him, you must outthink him first…"_

Then his muscles twitched slightly and I knew he'd grab me so I had to act quickly but he anticipated my movement and grabbed me with both arms, pulling me towards him. I pushed against him so hard, but his grip on my body, too strong and I knew he was going to kiss me.

His breath hot and stinky on my face and his body hard against me, his mouth touched mine and I recoiled so much as he pressed his lips so hard against mine, his taste so vile. Our bodies so close together I couldn't push him off of me. He loosened his grip, his hands sliding over my body trying to get underneath my clothes. I felt fear, humiliation all rise up inside of me and anger too.

Mostly feeling anger, the most important of all, I'd learned that too.

Even though I hated his fingers slipping underneath my shirt and brushing bare skin as they inched towards my breasts, I knew that he'd made himself vulnerable so I pushed my hands against him harder and that separated us enough so that I could use my knee to go for one of the weak spots.

He hated that, his eyes narrowed and his mouth twisted and I felt fear inside of me, it chilled me to the point where I didn't think I'd ever feel warm again. He hit me across the face so hard I thought it might knock me out…instead I fell backwards on the couch and scooted myself into a position where I could protect myself.

Try to protect myself. My cheek smarting, eyes stinging with tears. I saw him approach and I knew I'd never get away from him before…

Was this why I was here…why I existed at all? So this man could hurt me in the worst possible of ways? I didn't know what it all meant.

"I could keep you here forever where no one would ever find you," he said, "Likely no one's even trying…someone threw you out like trash and I was just trying to help you…"

I shook my head at him as he neared the couch, trying to pull my legs up so my knees brushed my chin but on the couch…too difficult. My eyes too fixated on him. He couldn't be right could he? Somewhere out there someone had to be looking for me, someone who'd never quit looking until he found and got me. Unless he was right…I didn't know what I'd come from or if I'd ran from something bad into something worse.

Or what scared me even more, something better than what I left. I shook my head at him trying to make myself even smaller.

"No…"

He jumped onto the couch, pulling on me until his body pressed so hard against mine that I barely felt the couch beneath me. His hands were everywhere while his mouth kissed mine again. I tried to dodge it but could barely move.

"Damn you bitch…stop moving…"

But I couldn't…I might not be much…I might be a bitch or a whore who didn't know it. I did know I didn't want this…so I wrestled with him as he tried to unsnap my pants, bucking against him and when he tried to kiss me again…I didn't know how much longer I'd be able to fight someone so much stronger.

Fighting wasn't enough…I was one person, a woman surrounded by men so much stronger than me. Men who could kill me…was it worth dying?

I didn't want to know…so even as I weakened I still pushed against him. He'd forced himself between my legs but couldn't work the pants.

"None of you have gotten away from me yet…"

Then the door opened and I knew someone had arrived. Butz looked up enough from what he was doing to give me an opening. I took it and smacked him across the face and for an instant…I thought he might hit me back again. But he seemed more focused for the time being on the door.

I heard Romart's voice.

"Sheriff, we need your attention in the yard…"

Butz sounded annoyed.

"Can't you see I'm busy? I haven't finished her orientation."

Just the mention of that hated word gave me the strength to push him off the couch just enough so I could wiggle out from under him and dash across the room to crouch next to a filing cabinet.

"Some girls dusting it up in the yard…need you to break it up…"

Butz adjusted his clothing.

"Can't you do anything without me?"

Romart just eyed Butz and me trying to hide behind the filing cabinet and shrugged. I remembered him from the bar when he'd helped Butz get Rhonda and me out of there. I knew he wasn't nice but he didn't seem interested in me like Butz.

"You want me to take her back for you?"

Butz shook his head.

"I'm not done yet," he said, "Just lock her up in the office and I'll be back."

The two men left and I heard some commotion outside and then a man yelling before a gunshot. I flinched when I heard it not daring to go to the window to look outside. I just stayed by the filing cabinet shivering, still feeling Butz' hands all over me, the taste of him on my mouth…I wanted to throw up but my stomach just lurched.

Then I saw the mirror and I turned towards it and stared at the woman looking back at me. Very pretty she'd been called…dressed like she came from money…had friends people wanted to get to know…but who only existed for one reason.

Who was she? Who was I?

I stared into my reflection.

"Who am I? Who am I?"

The woman never answered.

* * *

**Butz**

Damn it, can't Romart and the rest of them break up a cat fight in the yard without my help? I didn't get Romart at all. I knew he could snap one of these cats' necks in a second or fire a bullet into their head without thinking twice.

Yet when it came to a simple spat between two or more of them in the yard with their claws bared he came running for me.

I broke it up quickly enough as always between who else but Fran and the new redheaded girl I had talked up to Piser on the phone earlier. She'd have to calm down some before the party tonight but Romart told me he'd take care of that.

Soon it'd be time to herd them all back into the showers to wash up before they'd get their costumes for Piser's pool party.

I wanted to get back to Bunny and finish with her. She wouldn't be going to the party of course but I'd lock her up in her cell and be back for something special later tonight.

Yes, I knew with some firm handling she'd be a nice one.

* * *

**Matt **

The town had one main street through one end of it to the other, a strip of businesses the types that turned up in dusty towns off the highways like this one. Couldn't even catch the name of it since the sign hadn't been in one piece…but probably didn't matter much even to those who lived here.

It had been hours since breakfast so I thought I'd get a bite to eat somewhere before I hit the police stations, hospitals and a morgue if this town had one What every small town had was at least one diner where most regulars hung out when they were on the trip doing business. I found one but it looked closed so I parked my car and went to look for another.

Saw a small bar that happened to be open and of course it'd be a great place to ask people there if they'd seen here around. But only one man was inside, standing behind the bar cleaning some glasses. He looked up at me when I walked up to him.

"You looking for something to wet your whistle?"

I reached into my pocket to pull out the faded photo.

"I'm looking for a woman," he said, "She's in the photo."

The man took it from me and seemed to study it intently. Did that mean that he had seen her in here? But then he just shook his head and handed it back.

"Nah, haven't seen her. I'd notice if I did…she's quite a looker," he said, "Your wife or girlfriend?"

He seemed like a friendly enough guy but something about him…it put me on edge. I knew I had great instincts, been trained by the best in military intelligence…between that and working as an investigator, I just trusted my own judgment.

"Just a friend…She's a lawyer out of L.A. named C.J. Parsons," he said, "She was driving to New Mexico on business and crashed her car up the highway…no one's see her since."

The man shrugged, picking up a glass to dry it.

"Maybe she hitchhiked next town over…or met up with a guy. Been known to happen."

I bristled at his words and his attitude. C.J. just wasn't like that…I knew as well as I'd ever known anything that something had happened to her, something bad and I knew I had to find her quick. If this man wasn't going to help me…I knew I needed to watch him for a while so I walked up over to a table and picked up a menu.

"Your burgers any good…?"

The man looked up at me.

"Best in these parts…course not much competition."

He chuckled at his own joke and then he took my order and left to go somewhere presumably the kitchen.

After he left, I pulled out the photo of her again, telling her over and over again to stay put because I was going to find her.

* * *

**Jake**

My hands trembled as I put a dime in and punched in the number. I wished sometimes I'd get the landline working here again but I'd been on the damn waiting list for long already…I got Butz right away at his desk.

"You know that hot number you picked up last night…the brunette one?"

Butz barked back the affirmative and then asked me why I'd asked.

"A man's shown up…and he's come looking for her…"


	9. Chapter 9

C.J. yawned and then got out of bed. Not that she wanted to leave it and the man who remained there looking at her.

"Time to face reality again…"

Matt got up and sat on the edge of the bed watching her as she paced a bit.

"You're doing great…I think the jury's really paying attention."

She smiled at him but her eyes still looked uneasy.

"I'm getting the easy part of it behind me," she said, "Tex is up next and he's going to make me look like I had it coming…that his client was only trying to help me."

She didn't say the rest of it, _like I was trash_. Not that she held it against Tex to do the best he could by Piser as his defense attorney. She'd do the same if she were in his shoes; do whatever it took to help get her client off. Well anything that wouldn't get her disbarred of course. She'd done some time clerking for none other than F. Lee Bailey and worked a stint in the public defender's office back in Houston until Matt talked her into working as a legal eagle for his upstart of a company. The one he set up to show his daddy he would make it on his own without his help or his money. But he wanted her help and the best legal skills that he could get…which meant her and who could pass up an offer like that?

She had no regrets of course. A few battle scars perhaps but she wouldn't trade her life with anyone else's.

Matt got up and slid his arms from behind pulling her closer to him. She loved the smell of him, and closed her eyes. Inside her eyelids she saw images of their lives together. Both the good times that they'd spent together and the challenges that they faced…everything that had brought them where they were right now.

"He can never change who you are C.J," he said, "and his client is going to prison for what he did to you and the other women."

She hoped that what she had to say would help put Piser away for a long time, that the jury would believe her version of events

"I know Houston but it doesn't change what happened or the fact that I changed."

He pulled her into a kiss, his lips brushing against hers before he tilted her face up with a couple fingers so she could look directly at him.

"Not in the ways that matter now."

She sighed feeling the emotions from him right now and how good they made her feel. Still a part of herself from those dark days would always remain with her, one of many threads that made up what defined her.

"But it did matter then…," she said, "I was someone else for a little while…someone who just wanted to survive…"

* * *

**Earlier…**

I remained in the office after they left me there. I knew that Butz had locked the door behind him but I tried it anyway. Just to find a way out of there so I could look for Rhonda and we could both escape from this place.

But the doorknob wouldn't move in my hand and I backed away knowing that I was stuck here until Butz and his deputies returned. I knew when that happened he'd finish what he had started with me and I didn't know how I'd be able to stop him. I wanted to live after all, if I didn't go along with what he wanted, he'd kill me and I knew no one would ever see me again. I'd just disappear into the earth…as if I'd never been here.

I already felt like I'd disappeared.

Then it hit me that I needed to know more about the man who had grabbed me and brought me here to do what he wanted. I knew he ran the place and the deputies obeyed him. They all wore stars on their chests which meant they were abusive towards women, taking advantage of them.

All I had right now was his name.

I felt myself drawn to his desk by something inside of me that just felt like instinct. He had stacked papers and files in a disorderly fashion on top of it and when I glanced at them, I didn't find anything that caught my attention. I knew I had to act quickly before Butz and the others returned so I went straight to the desk and started pulling out drawers which were filled with more papers that didn't mean much to me and some folders.

I flipped open a brown folder and photos suddenly spilled out of it. Pictures of women clad in what looked like swimsuits that left much of their skin exposed. Some of them posed with older men who weren't dressed in swimsuits in chairs and chaises that looked as if they were outside. In some of the photos, the women sat in the men's laps while the men's hands were touching them. I didn't recognize any of the women…they smiled in some of the pictures but their expressions were frozen…their eyes looking past whoever took the photos as if they were looking someplace else. Maybe they were someplace else…maybe that's what they did to be able to sit there while the men's hands were on them, their arms, hips and breasts. As if they weren't women at all, just playthings for their entertainment.

But why did Butz have these photos tucked in a folder hidden underneath a stack of papers in his desk drawer?  
Then I saw a piece of paper underneath where the photos had been and I pulled it out. On it, were just names scribbled on the sheets, what looked like names of men paired up with those belonging to women and on top of each sheet, a date and time…and something about barbecues and pool parties.

I didn't see Butz or any of his deputies in the photos…just the men who looked like they were having more fun than the women at these parties. I knew that what I read right now was very important…that it served some purpose but I didn't know what…I knew I needed help but I was all alone. It seemed to me just then that it wasn't always that way.

There'd been someone else with me…a man…nice looking with the most amazing smile on his face, the warmth in his brown eyes as he appeared in front of me just then…I couldn't look away from it. I knew he wasn't really there but I could feel him…I still didn't know his name anymore than I knew my own but all of a sudden I knew what I had to do.

I sat down in Butz' chair and picked up the phone punching in numbers that made no sense to me. My fingers just clicked them in sequence on their own while I wondered at it all. I didn't fight it though or try to figure it out. I just went with it. It made sense in some way when nothing else had made sense at all since I'd woken up.

I heard the ringing on the other end and thought…come on…come on…let him be there, let him pick up the phone and tell me…and I would know what to do if I just heard his voice. But then I heard footsteps which sounded like the clicking of boots approach the door and I froze my hand still on the phone. I didn't know what to do but when I heard the lock click, I knew it had to be Butz. If he got inside her, I'd never be able to get away from him…to stop him from getting what he wanted…if someone on the phone could help…but I put it down.

The door opened and I braced myself waiting for it to be Butz…for him to tell me to give him what he wanted from me and I tried to figure out how I'd live through it. But I wanted to live…and I knew if it was between life and death…I wanted to live if only to find out who I was and about the people that I sensed might be looking for me.

But when the figure appeared inside the door, I knew it wasn't Butz at all.

* * *

**Piser**

I walked in Butz' office expecting to see that sorry son of a bitch of a partner of mine sitting there waiting for me…I knew I had to remind him who was in charge of our…business enterprise. It wasn't some stinking sheriff in a backwater town out in the desert that no one cared about, it was me the head of the parole board at the Capitol.

He'd told me on the phone that what happened at the last party at my ranch would never happen again, that what's her name, the blond chick in the Daisy Dukes who tried to run off…was the exception…an aberration and not the rule. I had hated the lot of women he'd paraded in front of me wearing those skintight bikinis that showed off enough to know that they were bottom of the food chain when it came to being quality pieces of ass. I had promised the politicos at the Capitol, the ones who could be bought and sold as easily as these girls that this party coming up today would be the best one yet. Better looking pieces of tail and girls who knew how to give a man what he wanted and show him a good time.

As part of our deal I had first pick of the litter when it came to girls but all I'd seen lately was a bunch of sorry looking runts…all girls who had looked strung out and in a different place. That worked for some of these men who just wanted girls who spread their legs without a word let alone conversation but that didn't work for me.

Butz had promised me a better pick but hadn't delivered no matter how much I told him to pick up better girls.

I was thinking that when I saw her sitting in his chair. It couldn't be one of the girls who filled the jails because what would she be doing here without him? But then I remembered the door had been locked so he must have had her in here…so she must be one of the latest pickups. She looked at me, her wavy brown hair like mahogany spilled around her face, her body curved in the places I liked and her eyes…they looked alert and yet expressionless.

"Hi there…"

She just stared at me as if she belonged there and I didn't.

"I couldn't imagine why the sheriff would leave a pretty young thing like you in here by yourself."

She just shrugged slightly, not warming up to my flattery.

"I wouldn't know…I'm new here," she said, "He had to deal with some trouble in the yard."

I nodded.

"I heard some yelling when I came inside here," he said, "So what you in here for?"

She just stood up and walked away from the desk backwards while keeping her eyes on me. I saw the wariness in her eyes but I was good at charming women into doing just about anything I wanted them to do.

"I don't know…"

"What's your name sweetheart?"

She furrowed her brow as if thinking about it. It hadn't been but the most basic of all questions. Nothing really to think about unless…she'd made one up of course.

"They call me Bunny…"

I smiled widely pouring on the charm. I knew that I had to get my hands on this piece. But why had Butz not told me about her…did he honestly think he'd be able to hide a pretty number like this and keep her for himself? I'd have to have a talk with him about that…before I took her for myself.

"That's a very nice name…"

But then I heard footsteps and Butz walked right in and looked at me…then at her.

"I didn't expect you so soon Piser…I've been busy getting the girls ready for the party."

I cast him a sharp glance.

"I can see that Piser…what did you think you were going to do? Keep this pretty young thing for yourself?"

Butz shook his head. He then had Romart come in the room and told him to take the pretty young thing back to her cell. I watched her go knowing I had to have her. I had kept my eyes on Bunny but she watched both of us very carefully, every movement we made and whatever we said right up to the moment she left the room. Then Butz turned towards me all seriousness now that we were talking business.

"No plans to do that…I know the deal. I would never keep a woman from you. It's just that she just came in and she's not ready yet."

"I think I just found my date for the party."

I knew Butz didn't like that at all from the expression on his face.

"Now I wouldn't advise that Piser…I haven't finished with her…orientation. She's pretty wild right now…I don't know if I can handle her…"

I smiled broadly.

"Now just get her at that party and leave that part of it up to me," I said, "Sometimes it's more fun that way."

I knew I was up to the challenge of breaking any young filly into saddle on my ranch and that went for the two legged variety. I could handle Bunny and I began to think that I might just have my own plans for her.

Butz nodded, not liking it but he didn't need me to remind him why he had no choice in the matter.

* * *

**Matt **

I finished my burger and fries at the bar where I'd stopped to ask about C.J. I'd been hungry enough to eat but I felt the hairs on the back of my neck prickle when I walked in there. I don't know why that happened but I knew to trust it. I felt like she'd been in here at some point earlier…maybe hours, maybe the previous day not long after she crashed her car.

But the man tending bar just took my order, served my food and then went back to cleaning glasses at the bar. Not inviting much in the way of conversation but keeping one eye on me. I knew he wasn't to be trusted…but not much I could do based just on that. I'd have to ask around in this town to see if anyone had seen C.J.

I called Chris to check in and she'd told me that no one had reported C.J. in a hospital or morgue or any place like that and I exhaled in relief. I didn't know how much I'd been holding my breath during these check in calls until Chris gave me the news that there was no news. As frustrated as I felt, I knew that at least she was out there somewhere…alive…maybe hurt but I'd find her. I'd never stop looking for her until I found her again. All I could think about was what must have happened to her…if I had just flown out here earlier instead of waiting so long…my gut had been telling me that when she didn't call to check in….something must have happened.

"You need a refill on the soda?"

I looked up at the bartender who had a towel draped over a shoulder. I shook my head and asked for the check. It was time to move on and keep on looking…still I couldn't drop this feeling…sensation that I had in the pit of my stomach that I was missing something here. It stuck with me while I left the bar and went out to get back in the rental. I'd stick around here see what I could dig up and then move on to the next town.

Yeah that was a plan I thought as I slid behind the steering wheel and started up the engine to get moving. I pulled out of the parking lot and went down the main strip…not knowing at first that two men had gotten inside a truck to follow me.


	10. Chapter 10

C.J. drove with Matt back to the courthouse in downtown Santa Fe to resume her testimony on the stand in the case against Piser. She felt much better than she had when she left the courthouse to go to the hotel suite. Ate some good food, got some rest alongside her favorite guy and she was ready to go…not that it'd be easy. Answering the prosecution's questions was the easier part of her job and once she put that behind her, what would stand between her and getting out of there would be cross-examination by Tex.

She knew he'd be ruthless with her and wrap it around a layer of Texan charm…but she knew how to respond to men like him. After all, she'd survived growing up in Southern Texas alongside men and she'd survived Bannon County too. If he gave her too much of an attitude, she'd toss it back in his face just as nicely. She knew she could do it without breaking a sweat. Other women hadn't been as lucky and had died trying to escape…she had to speak for them and put their killers away.

"It'll be over before you know it C.J."

She glanced over at him smiling.

"I know…I wish it were over now but I know what I got to do and I'm going to do it. It could have ended differently and I know it…I could be dead if I didn't have you in my life and if I were dead…"

But she couldn't finish because her life had changed so much mostly in the past six months or so but she felt that when the prostitution ring had been busted by Matt and the cops she'd been given a second chance. She glanced again at the man next to her and knew she'd put it to good use…the very best as a matter of fact.

"Good…then we'll go get that steak dinner with all the trimmings…and in lieu of wine…"

She pursed her lips.

"There's some sparkling grape juice on the menu," she said, "That'll do…but what about for you?"

"Sounds perfect…things couldn't be more perfect."

She knew that as much as she knew anything else. Life had its wrinkles, its obstacles strewn in one's path but when they were overcome it made a person stronger, and more appreciative of life's many gifts.

She knew only too well how quickly everything could change.

* * *

**Earlier…**

I returned to my cell and sat on the bunk waiting for Rhonda to return. I'd heard shouting and then a gunshot while I'd been in Butz' office. What had happened out there? But I'd quickly focused on what I discovered in his desk.

The photos of the women wearing hardly anything compared to the men they posed with in the photographs. My gut, the part of me that acted independently told me to make a phone call, to punch in some number that just popped into my head…in connection with the man. I didn't understand any of it but I obeyed it. Something told me I'd need to do that to survive.

Now I was back in the cell and suddenly I heard the footsteps again. The door opened and Rhonda walked back into it looking irritated. She shot some pithy look back at the deputy as he closed the door and locked it again.

"Don't get too comfortable," Rhonda said, "We've got to get ready to some party later on."

I felt confused.

"Party what party?"

Rhonda made a face.

"I heard about it in the yard…after some loud mouthed bitch tried to pop me one in the chow line…"

I bit my lip.

"I heard a gunshot."

Rhonda waved her hand as if it were nothing.

"Oh that…it was nothing," she said, "Butz just shot off his gun to break us up…no one got hurt."

I sighed rubbing my hands together, my head filled with all kinds of images of what could have happened with Rhonda lying dead in most of them. But she didn't seem all that concerned as she went to look out the window. Maybe it was a part of her life to be in such situations but I didn't know whether that was true of my own…since I knew so little about it.

"They told us before we came back inside that we'll be hitting the showers soon," Rhonda said, "to clean up for the party. It'll probably feel good."

I thought it might feel good to clean up. I didn't remember the last time I'd showered and I felt like I could use it. To get out of these clothes and stand under a shower to get rid of the grime might make some of it go away but not all of it.

Some of the dirtiness I felt couldn't be washed clean. I still felt Butz' hands all over me and his mouth…where it had touched mine. Nothing could possibly be so vile.

I didn't think I'd ever feel clean again.

Suddenly I heard the door open and Romart stood there smirking at us. I looked into his beady eyes and I knew he'd killed before and enjoyed reliving it.

"Get moving girls," he said, "You need to get cleaned up and get that filth off of you…as much as you can."

I just looked at Rhonda.

"I told you to get your asses up and into the showers…time's a wasting…got some powerful big shots waiting for your…talents."

I got up and so did Rhonda and we followed him towards the showers just a few yards away where we saw the other women.

* * *

**Fran**

I saw the two gringa bitches walk in the showers like they owned the place. They didn't know yet that I was in charge here. The guards might think otherwise but they don't know that Butz and I have an understanding, I control the women locked up with me and he gives me nice things. Not that l like the bastard or any of them but a girl's got to survive right?

Babs and I, we were talking in the chow line when Miss High and Mighty the tall gringa with the red curly hair cut me off…like the slop sitting in bins on the table's worth it. What we don't eat goes to feed some pigs on a farm…that's all it's fit for anyway.

I can't have some brand new bitch brought in by Butz challenge me no how so I got ready to beat her down, tripping her up so she'd fall on the ground and I'd pin her fast like a skewered fish.

Butz and the deputies broke it up like I knew they might…but I was beating her, showing her who ran the place when Butz fired his gun.

A warning shot.

I broke off from her and got on my feet barely broke a sweat and Babs, she just smiled at me. Then Romart and Slim told us we'd cool off in the showers.

Now I watched as the two of them got ready to strip down and get in the showers. I'd hold back and do some recon of my own because I had my suspicions especially about the one who called herself Bunny. What kind of name was that and something about her…I just knew it wasn't like it seemed. Butz had taken a liking to her which meant less love for me. Fine with me as long as we understood each other but I wondered if Bunny was really working for him already. Spying on the rest of us and snitching for him, getting info on what we did and sad then ratting us out for her own good. I knew she'd turn out to be another bitch who thought she'd rule the jail.

If I found out something about her…something I could use…I could stop her before she took my place. So I searched her clothes and that of Rhonda's and suddenly pulled out a piece of paper from one of the pockets.

* * *

**Matt **

I drove away from the bar to head back out on the highway. I'd stopped to talk to some folks but none of them had anything to say. None of them had seen C.J. during the past couple of days. Damn, where could she be? She couldn't have just dropped off the face of the earth. I knew she'd gotten herself into trouble and that I had to find her.

I looked outside at the scenery and not much to it, just acres and acres of browned out desert occasionally broken up by cacti or tumbleweeds. Old brush and the occasional jack rabbit scampering across the ground…miles of it like I'd told C.J. when she first told me about her planned road trip.

It's been a tough year for her so far to say the least. She'd been shot twice in just a few months, first in the shoulder when we'd tried to escape that building and then later when we'd been ambushed by members of a religious cult. She'd begged me to not take her to the hospital the first time and instead run back into the building to get the evidence that would clear my name. But I couldn't sacrifice her life for my freedom.

The second time, she'd been awake part of the time, in agony while all I could do was watch as a medical student tried to treat her. By the time we got her to a hospital, she'd barely been alive and I felt her slipping away. This time I begged her not to leave me…I don't know if I'd ever been so scared in my whole life.

In between getting shot up had been Robert Tyler and that hurt as much as a bullet to the heart in other ways. I knew that just by looking at her when I had to do the most difficult task of telling her that  
Robert was a liar and a fraud…and would soon be a murderer.

I thought that was it, I thought I'd lost her forever when she told me she'd resign from Houston Enterprises. But I couldn't back down from what I said…she had to know the truth no matter how much it hurt. It had hurt me too to see the pain on her face, the anger at me and the indecision because she knew that some fundamental part of herself knew I'd never deliberately hurt her.

The night that we'd been apart had been one of the longest but she'd returned next day and as I embraced her, life felt like normal again. But even as she wanted to help me and Roy set up Robert for the kill, I knew the toll it'd taken on her.

She'd been running on empty for a while now and I knew that she had wanted to take this road trip to spend time on her own, to think about what had happened and figure it all out.

I'd been here myself. But what I wanted right now more than anything was to find her, to see her again safe and sound, to wrap my arms around her and hold her close.

First I had to find her and I had no leads…then I looked in his rearview mirror and saw a pickup truck trailing him. I'd seen it earlier, a couple miles ago and it was still on my tail. I thought I saw two men inside of it.

Then I heard the truck accelerate as it rammed the back of the car.


	11. Chapter 11

They made it back to the courtyard and she hugged him goodbye once again. He kissed her softly on the mouth before stroking it and told her he'd be in the audience.

She nodded and went to get a glass of water as she waited to be called to the witness stand to testify once again. At first she'd pick up where she left off and then when the prosecutor finished with her questions, Tex would begin asking his own. Only they wouldn't be questions, not ones that were meant to be asked and answered. They were meant to trick and trap her…to distort and rewrite her earlier testimony. She knew that as surely as she knew anything having filled Tex's shoes during her own career and she had to stop him in his tracks.

Like when he asked about her prior sexual history…how many men she'd slept with including all of her one-night stands.

"You'd be giving it away for free wouldn't you…if it weren't for my client helping you out."

She just stared at him and not saying a word. Marie objected right away and the judge listened before turning to face Tex.

"Rephrase it as a question counselor and try again."

C.J. sighed waiting for the question to be asked again. She knew that this often happened in sex offense trials that the victims had their histories and past behavior put on trial to help the accused get off. The judge didn't seem in a rush to put limits on Tex's line of questioning so she braced herself to answer. But after he rephrased it switching a few words around, Marie stood up to object again.

"The witness isn't the one on trial here."

Tex stood up, adjusting his lapel and argued that he had a client to defend who needed to be afforded all his constitutional rights and that meant the ability to cross-examine all witnesses testifying against him. She knew what that meant even if she didn't like it.

"I'll rephrase it again…"

C.J. listened and she looked at Marie. She'd had her relationships like anyone else…but she didn't jump into bed with men and she'd never been into one night stands. She'd fallen in love a few times, been engaged twice…nearly once more with Robert because she'd been leaning towards yes when he'd asked. She'd wound up with the love of her life though it'd been a bumpy, eventful road to get there.

But that's not what Tex wanted the jury to hear. He wanted them to view her as a loose woman, a slut that asked for what happened to her in Bannon County and that his client hadn't committed the crimes as charged.

She wasn't about to help him with that as he kept asking questions.

* * *

**Earlier…**

**C.J. **

I showered and felt much better when I finished. I wrapped a towel around me and went to get my clothes. I saw that girl that Rhonda had called Fran standing there looking to confront me. She kept asking me my name and all I knew was what I'd been called which was Bunny.

"If that's really your name," Fran finished snidely and I knew she hid something from me. I just stared at her not knowing what she was getting at…I didn't know her did I? I didn't know any of the women in here…any better than I knew myself which was not at all.

I didn't know anyone at all except for the man that flashed inside my head at times. I knew him, I felt that deep inside of me…I just didn't know how. I wish he were here with me right now…but it was just me and Fran…and a few of the other women who were strangers to me. Obviously not to Fran who seemed to be the leader in the jail.

A flash of memory hit me of being bullied on the playground…by a bigger boy who had pushed me on the ground and started taunting me. Then another boy helping me up after been able to push the boy off of me. I'd been new at the school…my first day since moving to Texas…Houston I think. He'd been so friendly…my only friend for a while. But right now I was older…and Fran looked like she wanted to beat on me. If she tried…she'd have something coming…I knew that…I just didn't know why.

"So what are you doing with this list…"

She waved the paper I had in my pocket in front of me…the list of men and women paired off…I hadn't known what I meant…just that it meant something. It had caught my eye…I had picked up the phone to call the man who appeared right in front of me again and then when the door had opened, I had rushed to hide it away.

"The list of stinking johns that he's been selling us to then…?"

Fran had made it clear to me that she believed I was a spy…a snitch for Butz to rat out on the women so he could use it against him…but I knew I'd never do anything for him…not unless he made me. I wanted to live…I knew that and I sensed how fragile life was especially here. When I had not wanted to do what Butz wanted he looked like someone not used to losing.

"I…I didn't know that was what it was…"

Which was true…I had no idea…I still didn't understand it. Did this mean that we were here to be sold away to men to be used…was that what this party was about? I felt chilled then and didn't know what to do…but I had to make Fran understand I wasn't a snitch. I wasn't anyone she could boss around either.

"Bullshit Bunny…you must know," she said, "Why else would you keep it on you? Now tell me the truth."

But I just looked at her not answering. What could I say that would make her happy, would satisfy her? Nothing at this point…she smirked at me then after glancing at Babs and a couple other women just standing there.

"Okay we can do this the easy way or the fun way…"

Something inside me told me I was going to get attacked…but my body tensed and I shifted it into a stance which made it clear to me I knew what I was doing…that I'd done this before…been in fights. She tried to have two other women grab me so she'd take advantage but I acted so quickly…I don't know how but it was a matter of seconds before I had her in a head lock and at my mercy. Her bravado vanished and she surrendered.

The other women including Rhonda just stared at me in amazement. I made my point that I wasn't to be messed with to Fran and anyone else and then released her. I didn't hate her or anything…I just knew what I had to do to survive. The other women left but Rhonda just looked at me.

"Those were some moves there…where'd you learn to fight like that?"

He flashed in front of me, the handsome man with the warm eyes…he was saying something to me but I couldn't make it out…who was he? His name…it was on the tip of my tongue I knew it but…

Something slipped out between my lips.

"Houston…I must have learned it in Houston."

Rhonda didn't look too sure about anything at that point but we both headed back to the cell.

* * *

**Matt**

I'd been driving around wracking my brain as to where to look next for her when it happened. That someone hit the back of my track but to break it down further, this is what I'd been thinking at the time.

I'd been getting frustrated and a little concerned…scared that I wouldn't find her. That wasn't acceptable to me because I knew I'd never stop…ever until I found C.J. again. If she was in trouble…I'd get her out of it. I just wasn't going to ever accept losing her…the most important person in my life.

I didn't have much family left…lost two fathers including one I'd only known for a few hours before he gave his life for mine. My uncle…and my cousin were in L.A. and we'd gotten close again…but the one constant in my life had been C.J. Back since we were both growing up together on neighboring ranches outside of Houston.

The woman who was my best friend, my business partner and who'd saved my life more than once. Just months ago…after we'd jumped out of the window of that abandoned building after being ambushed by a sniper…she turned around and told me to go back in the damn building and get the evidence needed to clear my name before it was forever destroyed. But I saw pain on her face, heard a hitch in her voice that I recognized…I'd been shot before and then I saw the blood on her clothes…she'd taken a hit to the shoulder and didn't want me to know. She knew I'd rush her to the hospital and sacrifice my own freedom to save her. She'd told me that she'd loved me inside the building and I didn't know what to say to that…it just came out of the blue it seemed and we were both trying to figure out how to get out of there alive after losing Andrea. So I filed it away for later…maybe when things settled a bit I could figure out what to do with it…but when she nearly sacrificed her life for my freedom…to end my nightmare then what she said hit me like a truck.

I pushed that out of my mind to focus on the road, to figure out where to look for her next, telling her inside my head to just hole up and wait until I could find her. Because if anything happened to her…I didn't get much more time to think because next I know, I heard a bang and my truck thrust me forward in my seat against my restraint.

Damn someone had hit me…by accident? Then it happened again. This time I looked in the rearview mirror and I saw them…what looked like two men sitting in a pickup truck.

I knew then that something awful had happened to my best friend.


	12. Chapter 12

**Present Day**

C.J. stepped down from the witness stand completely exhausted. Not for the first time having testified at two separate grand jury proceedings held in secret and a couple of motion hearings. Sitting on the witness stand proved so much different than presiding over it, pacing the courtroom floor like a predator and asking questions.

Nursing a witness along in relating his or her account or setting them up carefully step by step to destroy them….it was all one a big game with high stakes and depended on which side was up at bat. She could question a witness on her side or cross-examine a member of the other team for an hour or longer even half a day volleying back and forth with the opposing counsel like a tennis match and walk away feeling ready to do it all over again.

But sitting in the hot seat, it wore her out. Each question sought out an answer but exacted its own price, stripping her down one piece at a time if she were on the defense. Today proved no different…the moment she finished the last sentence, every muscle in her body relaxed and the fatigue hit her all at once. She didn't know how much her body tensed up until afterward when the judge nodded and declared her time on the stand done when both sides ran out of questions to ask.

She got up a bit shaky and walked back to the prosecutor who smiled at her.

"Nicely done…your part is over…"

C.J. sighed, knowing the game all too well.

"I hope this trial sticks," she said, "You'll contact me when you get a verdict?"

The prosecutor nodded and then hugged her goodbye. After that, C.J. focused on the man sitting in the center of the second row of seats, the row behind where the lawyers' investigators and paralegals sat. Her eyes had focused on him quite a bit during her testimony during those times she felt a bit lost. Telling the story she had lived allowed her to put some distance…but some parts of it could never be far enough away.

Matt smiled when he saw her and got up to meet her.

"You ready for that dinner I promised you?"

She nodded.

"Damn straight Houston," she said, rubbing her abdomen, "I think we both are."

His smile broadened and he slid his arm comfortably around her waist and they left the courtroom.

* * *

_**Earlier…**_

**Matt: **

I got out of the car slowly, knowing this was no accident. The two men, dressed like cops had followed me and then once they'd reached a deserted stretch of road, rammed my car so I'd have to leave it and face them.

It told me that my gut had been right on about C.J. being in some kind of danger. Something awful had happened to her and these two men knew it. More than that, they'd done it and that realization hit me quick and hard like a rattler strike with anger quick on its tail.

The two men smirked at each other as they got out of the truck. Oh, they weren't careless; they had their guns at the ready in case I made any move. But I'm not stupid; I knew what I had to do…and knew I'd be no good to C.J. dead. They both moved a few steps closer to me but I didn't back down.

"So you're Matt Houston…"

I heard the taller one ask me that question and no point in denying it so I nodded. I didn't make any sudden moves because the shorter deputy looked trigger happy…just looking for an excuse to shoot me.

"Now that you know who I am and I know you're supposed to be county deputies you mind telling me why you bumped my car…what's so important you had to get my attention?"

I knew the answer to that already of course. My daddy didn't raise any fools but I knew to keep them talking because if their lips were moving, their attention was off of their hands. Besides, I knew the fact that they pulled me over meant that they knew what happened to C.J.

I had to find her and get her back home and these two deputies acting like a pair of law breakers were my ticket.

"You must know who I'm looking for then," I said, "You best tell me where C.J. Parsons is and you might make it out of this alive."

The taller one, the one with a glint in his eyes that told me he'd killed before for the pleasure of it

"We don't have to tell you nothing," he said, "Now get your ass in the truck…we got someplace to go."

He pointed his gun, accentuating his words and between the two of them I knew I was outnumbered so I did as he told me and moved towards getting in the truck.

My mind working like quick silver of course on what to do later when it was time to turn the tables and take control.

I had no intention of dying and no intention of leaving until I found C.J. and got her to safety. The two men might not know it but they and whoever sent them after me had just started a war.

* * *

**C.J.**

The damn cell walls closed on me even more when the deputy, Slim they called him brought me back to the cell. I felt like an animal in a cage, the walls impenetrable and the window…it just showed what waited me outside if I did try to leave my cell.

Rhonda sat there on the lower bunk. I knew what I did to defend myself from Fran and her friends unnerved her. It unnerved me…where had those moves come from? Every time I tried to remember what my body already knew…the man reappeared in front of me as if he were here. Curly brown hair, softer brown eyes and I don't know but with him…I felt safe. I'd trusted him even with my life and I trusted no one now not even myself.

But I didn't have a name for him. Hell, I didn't even have one for myself.

"Hey you're some cop I bet," Rhonda said, "Else where'd you learn to fight like that? You're not some street fighter like those girls."

I shrugged, knowing that I could make up an answer but my mind still struggled with those same questions along with everything else.

"I don't know Rhonda…I don't know who I am…"

She sighed.

"The best way to figure out is to see what you can remember about your life before you forgot…like when you were a child."

That made some sense. My mind felt like it'd been washed clean going back but I must have had a childhood as surely as I must have been born. I'd never really tried to remember that far back so I walked to the window to look outside at the grassy yard, maybe that'd help me remember.

Something did flash inside my head. Another grassy yard with a group of children all dressed up. Decorations of horses and flowers made of paper and on a table, a cake with candles.

I knew the cake was for me and it was my birthday…which one? Maybe five or six…it'd been happy, excitement had filled me back then and a trace of it permeated me now. It'd been glorious fun that day, made special for me by my daddy.

Until…something hit me suddenly…a little boy with darker hair and freckles…he'd dropped ice cream on my dress making a mess.

I didn't cry back then but my daddy had fussed over me, even as my mama scolded me for getting my brand new dress dirty.

Rhonda nodded at my memory which faded away at that point and urged me to press harder and then suddenly I felt cold.

Colder than I'd ever felt in my life, colder than where I stood out in another fancy dress on frozen ground.

Echoing the iciness I felt in my heart.

* * *

**Present**

Matt held onto C.J. tightly as they lay together in bed. They'd ordered dinner but it'd have to wait…because she had needed him so much.

He'd slid his arms around her and kissed her on the mouth without urging. Each time together, they reveled in the feelings that overwhelmed them both…feelings that were new yet had been with them forever.

Her head on his chest, the rhythm of his heartbeat in her ear soothing her, bringing her back down to earth. His fingers idly stroking her bare skin…as she bared another part of himself to him.

"I remembered standing on a very cold morning…with my mama on frozen ground swept clean of snow and the sunlight, bright but weak. Nothing could warm me then…I felt so numb inside of me and so alone…even though I was surrounded by people."

Matt listened to her as she told him what her daddy's funeral had been like as it happened before they met. But when he'd gotten to know her even as a child, he felt the loss in her life as if something had been missing.

His own daddy had raised him from birth and it was his mama who had departed early.

"My daddy was dead…I knew I'd never see him ever again. I told that to Rhonda in the cell and yet I didn't know who that little girl was anymore than myself."

He continued caressing her side as she snuggled closer.

"It must have been hard to feel all that without being able to own it," he said, "I'd lost that month and that was tough but I never lost my life."

She sighed, his words and the intense feeling behind them soaking her, giving her warmth.

"It was…but then I kept trying to remember and then I remembered you…"


	13. Chapter 13

**Present**

They sat together on the chaise eating a late night dinner. He'd donned his pajama bottoms and her, a blue silken robe and hit the covered dishes that had kept their steak and baked potatoes with the trimmings warm and their mixed salads cool and crisp.

Matt poured her some apple juice and himself some scotch as they listened to the rain striking the windows nearby. A storm must have swept into town while they'd been…busy doing other things.

She continued the story she'd told him about standing in the jail cell with Rhonda trying to bridge the tremendous gap between her present and her past. Rhonda had told her to move past her childhood, reach for a memory more recent from the fog bank around her.

"All of a sudden I saw this man sitting by my hospital bed," she said, "I don't know why I was there…hooked up to equipment and kind of out of it. But I saw him there holding my hand in his and it was you Houston….my best friend in the whole wide world."

He sipped his drink thoughtfully.

"You were in the hospital a few times," he said, "The times you got shot on cases…each time it scared me because I thought I'd lose you."

She sighed, reaching out to stroke his cheek.

"How do you think I felt when it was you lying there? I'm just glad that we both took a step away from that part of it."

He smiled at her.

"We've got someone else to think about now."

She reached for her fork to sample the potato, her body filling with warmth at the tone in his voice.

"I know…I miss it sometimes, what about you?"

He paused.

"Once in a while…but we've been putting so much time in the new house," he said, "fixing it up and getting the new business started."

She relished her potato.

"Working from home a few days a week will be great," she said, "Everything's changed so much but I think for the better."

"Me too…the waiter put some of the dessert in the freezer?"

She smiled.

"Yes I've been thinking about it all day," She said, "you know how it goes."

He certainly did having made some late night runs to fetch her favorite flavor of ice cream when she craved it.

"I certainly do…"

They continued eating their dinner knowing that the hardest part of the day stayed behind them.

* * *

**Earlier… **

**C.J.**

Rhonda and I left the confines of the cell to outside to get something to eat. Lunch, they called it to get us ready for the barbecue later on. The one held on a large spread just outside town limits. I'd heard the other women chat about it, how the deputies would bring them skimpy clothing to wear and then pile them up in the van to take to the house of someone very important.

From what little I remembered of parties they were supposed to be fun, even joyous occasions but this…what I saw on the women's faces. The emptiness in their eyes…I knew this party was very different. I knew that there would be men there and what they'd expect from us the women. It filled me with revulsion…I didn't know how to ready myself for having their hands groping me…I couldn't think any further than that but forced it out of my mind…the images and sensations of what happened in Butz' office. No, Rhonda and I would have to find a way to escape. She'd told me that other women had tried but none had made it before being caught by the deputies and dragged kicking and screaming back into the van.

The van would leave with the woman inside it and no one would ever see them again. I knew they were out there somewhere dead and rotting…probably in the endless desert which surrounded town. I refused to be one of them…whatever it took I'd find a way to escape even if…

"The food sucks. I'm still sick from breakfast."

I glanced at Rhonda but I didn't care. I'd missed that meal being busy locked up in Butz' office and my stomach growled now. I knew I'd have to eat something so I'd be strong enough to do what I needed to do at the right time.

We lined up with the others and Rhonda was right, it looked like slop but I grabbed an apple and a glass of what looked like iced tea to take to the table. A silence fell among the other women and I knew it had to do with the party.

* * *

**Butz**

**A**fter I'd given my deputies the order to go after that private eye who'd come snooping around, I knew that I wouldn't have to worry about him uncovering my setup here and messing it up for me and my partners.

That still left Bunny and I knew she had to die too along with the man who'd come looking for her. I knew it'd been too good to be true, that a woman so pretty could be gutter trash like the rest of the women. You see the world didn't care about most of these women who'd been thrown away by the time they wound up in my jail. I picked them carefully with Jake's help, women who'd be more than happy to spread their legs in exchange for better treatment, who wouldn't know to want anything better.

Women who wouldn't be missed if they tried to escape and who could like dead and buried until they turned to bones without anyone out looking for them.

But damn it, Bunny wasn't some nameless whore, she was a successful lawyer in L.A. who'd just gone missing. She'd had that bump on her head so maybe that's why she didn't remember her life. But women like her had people out there, family or husbands who'd be out looking for them. I didn't know which category this Houston belonged but being a PI, he'd be tireless.

For that he had to die and she had to join them. I'd have Womart do her like the others…getting off on it as the life drained out of her and then burying her in an unmarked grave. Yes, tough to erase such a beautiful creature but didn't have a choice.

Then I remembered, Piser had taken a liking for her and wanted her as a date to his party at the ranch. He insisted on it, as if he were a child and she was some shiny new toy he just had to have…I knew he couldn't be appeased any other way.

I told Womart he'd have his Bunny first before her disposal…but that we'd have to dope her up so she wouldn't think of trying to escape. Romart nodded and said he'd do it, sounding a little disappointed that he couldn't kill her right away.

Sometimes I worry about him.

* * *

**Matt**

I pointed a gun at the two deputies and I swear I wanted to kill them. I knew it wouldn't help me find C.J. to ice the two men who knew where she was right now

It'd been simple enough to turn the tables on them as soon as they told me to get out of the truck in some deserted area outside of town.

A place with nothing but cacti and tumbleweeds to witness my murder but I had no intention of dying. Not without finding her. I shoved the door open hard and knocked the two of them over like dominos.

I grabbed the gun and they fell into line fast and I started asking the questions. When they realized I'd kill them without hesitation, the words started spilling out of their mouths telling a story.

Something about the sheriff and a man named Piser who worked with the state correctional board. The moment they mentioned fun and games and female inmates, I knew the racket. They'd arrest women, take them to jail and then promise them lenient treatment and lighter sentences if they'd slept with some politicians. from the state capitol.

I didn't know where C.J. fit into all this because she didn't break any laws, never been in jail so how had she wound up there? I knew there had to be a setup and if she'd been hurt from crashing her car, it'd be easy for her to get mixed up in this mess. My heard squeezed damn hard when I though what might have happened to her already… but it'd been at most a day…maybe two so but I had to get to her fast…get her away from these men.

I made the men take off their shoes and when they protested, I shot the ground at their feet promising to take out their kneecaps next time and I wouldn't miss .Whatever it took to find her…that's what I'd do and I'd kill for it.

The deputy uniform fit snugly and I left them both standing there before getting inside the truck and heading to the detention center to go spring C.J.


	14. Chapter 14

**Present**

Waking up to the man next to her was the part of her life.

Matt's body had been a refuge to snuggle against when she'd been telling him about what it'd been like in that jail cell with Rhonda trying to remember her life. She'd tried so hard at her cellmate's urging but the bits and pieces that emerged belonged to a little girl who'd had a father.

A birthday party where ice cream had wound up on her pretty dress and then an icy cold morning when she'd been standing in a different dress by her father's grave. The loss of him had changed her life forever and had done much to shape the woman she'd become. The pain had faded in the years since but she never ever forgot him.

The man next to her proved to be the strongest memory of all and she hadn't understood why until it all returned to her.

She felt him move next to her and knew he had awakened.

"C.J…"

She smiled at him as he reached his hand up to stroke her face.

"How you doing this morning?"

"Great…what about you?"

"Couldn't be better…you up for breakfast?"

She nodded.

"Sure am…in fact I'm starving…."

"Can't have that…I'll call room service"

She turned to face him.

"Don't forget the maple syrup."

He made a bit of a face.

"You know most folks put it on their hotcakes and not their eggs."

She sighed happily.

"Then they don't know what they're missing…"

She'd been having these…urges for quite a while but it beat the hell out of being sick to her stomach. It was all normal anyway or so she'd been told.

Matt got up to call room service and she watched him thinking it didn't get any better than right now.

* * *

**Earlier…**

**Matt**

I found the detention center which was surrounded with a concrete wall that stretched up about a dozen feet with wiring on top of it. The face of it looked seamless with no cracks to gain a foothold to climb up it I would the face of a mountain.

Not that it would stop me from getting inside the compound and finding her before…I didn't even want to think about it. I saw some armed deputies but they didn't see me. I was dressed like them now and I knew I could find a way to fit the part even if the sheriff's string of them was small.

I knew who I had to find from the two deputies I'd left shoeless in the desert. I'd left them without any means to alert Butz until they walked the five miles into town. Probably heading to that bar run by that Jake fellow who I realized now must have been the one to tip Butz off. No doubt C.J. had crossed paths with him and been caught up in this mess thanks to some deal he likely worked out with the sheriff.

I found where the wall cornered next to a tree and used that to climb nimbly over it walking on the top of the wall before dropping down on the other side close to what must be the prison yard.

That's where I knew I'd find this girl that the deputies told me about…the one who'd knew the place and practically ran it. Fran, her name was and if I could just find her and slip her some money, I'd find out where the sheriff had stashed C.J.

When I turned the corner he found a couple women standing together. One of them with short red hair and the other…from the description the deputies gave him I knew I'd just found her.

I walked up to them and they turned to face me.

"Who the hell are you," Fran said, "Haven't seen you here before…"

I pulled out my photo of my best friend.

"Look have you seen her?"

The red headed woman nodded.

"She's…"

Fran slapped her which shut her up fast.

"How can we trust this guy," she said, "He's one of them…"

I shook my head but knew that one thing spoke louder and clearer than I did. So I reached into my shirt pocket and pulled out some cash.

"Here's 200 if you tell me…more when I find the girl."

She shook her head.

"Look do you like playing party doll for this guy Butz and his friends?"

She shot me a derisive look.

"What do you think?"

"Then you help me and we'll make sure it's a going away party okay?"

She looked at me for a moment and then glanced over at the other girl who nodded.

"Okay…I'll help you."

She grabbed the cash and tucked it away in her shirt before leading me towards the building.

* * *

**Butz**

I paced the office. Damn it all, where the hell were Womart and Jenkins anyway? I'd sent them on a simple errand which was to find that L.A. PI and take care of him just like they do the gals who try to escape.

How difficult could that be anyway? A simple bullet to the head and a body to dump in the desert…to be joined by Bunny's after Piser had his fun with her at the party.

I looked at the clock. Soon enough it'd be time to get the girls ready to get into the van and head out to Piser's ranch.

Hopefully some of them had cooled off after the cat fight in the yard. Ever since Bunny had arrived, a few of them had gotten riled up. There'd been a tussle in the shower which I would have liked to have watched with Bunny getting the jump and the upper hand on Fran, which few girls did. It must have something to do with her friend the PI.

It's not like Womart and Jenkins to flake out on me so did something happen to them? If so why hadn't I heard from them?

Damn if they didn't show up soon, it'd be up to Slim and me to handle a dozen girls ourselves. I didn't look forward to that as I glanced out the window into the yard.

That's where I saw him. A deputy who I didn't recognize standing there clearly talking to Babs and Fran which could only mean one thing.

I was looking at the PI I had sent two of my men to kill. Obviously they had failed in that task which left it up to me to decide what to do with him next.

* * *

**C.J.**

I feel sick like a dog right now. My stomach hurts so much and I'm too dizzy to stand so I'm lying curled up in the lower bunk while Rhonda's trying to figure out what to do. I know she planned on using the party to try to escape and she wanted me with her…at least in part to return me to the wealthy friends she thought I had …to get something out of it.

I didn't care about that. I just wanted to get out of this place and go home to a place which I would recognize…filled with familiar faces.

"Can you sit up?"

I shook my head as another cramp hit me, heating up my body and making it hard to keep from throwing up. What had happened to me? I'd been fine earlier and now felt hit by a ton of bricks.

"It must have been that poor excuse for lunch that did this…but I don't feel sick."

She'd looked fine as ever and that meant…how could it be the food since we both ate and drank the same thing.

Unless…

Rhonda stabbed a finger in the air.

"They must have drugged you specially but why?"

I couldn't answer that since I didn't understand much of what happened.

"You still have to try to escape Rhonda…"

She shook her head.

"Not without you…can't leave you here with them.

I curled up even tighter feeling my body break out sweating.

"Don't know if I can even get up…"

Rhonda sighed.

"I can help you…"

Then she glanced up at the door.

"Company's coming…"

I heard the clinking of the keys unlocking the door and saw the older deputy bringing in what looked like some awfully skimpy clothing.

I just caught a glimpse before lying back down again.

Slim thrust the skimpy outfits at Rhonda who caught them.

"Better get dressed for the party and don't waste any time you hear?"

Rhonda gestured to where I lay on the bed.

"She can't go. She's sick."

The older deputy just sighed.

"Not as sick as she's going to be if she doesn't get moving. Now get dressed."

He left us alone in the cell again and Rhonda sat on the edge of the bed handing me what looked like a bikini swim suit and a wrap.

"Best put these on quick. I'll help you get through this and maybe we find a way to escape."

As I struggled to get off the bed to change, the possibility of getting away from this awful place seemed further and further away.


	15. Chapter 15

C.J. sat in the back of the courtroom with Matt watching the prosecutor ask a woman on the witness stand a series of questions. She was a blonde woman about 20 and she'd been there just before C.J. had been abducted.

It came out later that she would be testifying about what happened to Carrie. The woman who had tried to escape from Piser's ranch. One of about a half dozen women who'd tried and then been dragged kicking and screaming back to the van where Womart and sometimes Slim would drive them out to the desert to be shot once in the head and then dropped into shallow graves, left unmarked except by the wind.

What was left of the women had been uncovered later, literally after the women in the detention center broke their silence and started talking. C.J. had discovered that she knew very little about what she had been tossed into the middle of during her amnesiac episode.

Matt sat with her in the eighth row, his arm wrapped around her loosely. He seemed must as mesmerized by the testimony as she but occasionally she'd feel his hold on her tighten when she most needed it. He read her so well, part of it went back to his investigative skills. The rest to all the years they'd spent together as close friends and business partners.

She shook her head when the woman nearly broke into tears when talking about the look she'd seen in Carrie's face, the horror in her eyes as the last sight she'd seen of her.

Her body had been among the first discovered but needed to be identified through DNA and dental records provided by a step aunt who had taken care of her before she'd run off several years earlier.

"I wonder what it was like for her…what it was almost like for me."

She knew the truth about what Butz had planned for her. He'd planned to have Womart take her in the desert to join the other troublemakers after Piser was finished with her.

"There's not going to be anymore Carries…"

She sighed.

"Not with this ring but what of the others?"

Matt couldn't answer that question. She'd been troubled by what she'd experienced for about a year before admitting it to herself and then him…during one night they'd spent drinking margaritas and eating cheap tamales at Lucy's.

It hadn't been long after he called it quits with Elizabeth.

Out of that late night dinner and confessional came two things, a new charity foundation set up by her and Matt to help women and girls at risk which turned out quite successful.

The other, she thought smiling to herself, was a change in status with the man sitting next to her.

* * *

_**Earlier…**_

* * *

**Fran**

That damn gringo nearly got me and Babs messed up real bad. Comes up to us dressed up like one of Butz' cops and then tries to get us to help him find that gringa who calls herself Bunny. Why should I help that bitch, I asked myself. But Babs and me, we're getting tired of being dressed up in trashy clothes to go screw some old men who are probably tired of their wives.

Babs nodded to me, like I should help this Matt Houston as he called himself. So I finally just took the $200 with promises of more coming and led him right to the cells where Butz kept all his party dolls in between Piser's barbecues at his ranch.

I had to get him past Slim and that didn't prove too tough. I just kicked his fat ass to get his attention and then had him come after me so that this friend of Bunny's could slip on past to find her.

He seemed so determined to risk getting his own ass shot up all for some skinny bitch who couldn't come up with a better name than Bunny.

As I lured stupid old Slim away, I just knew that this man was going to do something stupid to get us both killed.

* * *

**Matt**

I followed Fran inside the jail to look for C.J. She rolled her eyes at me and tucked my cash away someplace safe. I saw her go up to an older deputy and kick him to get him to follow her and not see me.

I knew that didn't give me a whole lot of time so I walked quickly, my eyes peeling the inside of each cel hoping to find her.

The first one, nothing…the second two women who looked unfamiliar to me and then the third…there she stood next to a woman with red frizzy hair, her back turned to me slipping on a wrap over a bathing suit. I knew my best friend, from the way her curly hair fell over her back to the way she just stood there,

I rapped on the glass to get her attention and she froze. I called her name even though I didn't think she could hear me. Both women turned to look in my direction. The redheaded woman just looked warily at me but C.J. walked towards the steel door.

Her eyes focusing on me, her lips pursed but I knew in a flash, the beat of my heart that she didn't recognize me.

A million thing raced through my mind as to why she looked at me so strangely…as if I were a stranger. She then widened her eyes and I heard footsteps behind me.

I knew we were busted.

* * *

**C.J.**

I looked up to see the man standing in front of me. He was dressed up like one of the deputies who treated us like property only…his eyes. Not only were they not like those of a predator, they were almost friendly…warm if eyes could be like that.

He looked from his curly dark hair to his feet as if I knew him. As familiar to me as my own self should be…only nothing seemed that way so strongly.

His eyes sought mine and instinctively I let myself be found. I stepped towards him and felt drawn in ways I couldn't explain. I felt it rush through me. I didn't know his name, or anything about him but suddenly I knew why he'd come.

He came to rescue me. I was so ready to leave and so was Rhonda. I wanted to leave with him and get out of this place.

But then I heard footsteps and I knew that there were people here who would try to stop us.


	16. Chapter 16

The trial continued on with Slim testifying as a witness for the prosecution. A hostile witness for sure because he'd cut a deal to avoid life in prison only because unlike Womart he hadn't actually killed anyone.

Not sadistic enough, C.J. thought, he'd started out working as a deputy and after 30 years, he'd been asked to get involved as muscle in a criminal operation otherwise known as a prostitution ring. He'd done some kidnapping and false imprisonment stuff, forcing women to be prostitutes but they needed a witness from the organization to spill on the stand and so Slim won that role in exchange for five years in state prison, minimum security.

He didn't look right now like he considered that a favor speaking slowly and haltingly and glancing over at the two men on trial sitting next to their lawyers but he told the truth. Jurors got a gander of what life was like working inside the most scandalous facility in state history.

C.J. zoned out during the part on how they went after girls…chose them as their marks. Jake the bartender would be testifying too. She remembered back when she knew that everything between herself and Matt had changed. Once it started, it happened so damn quickly as if they were making up for years lost between them. One late night dinner into the wee hours of the morning, not so unusual only when he drove her home, he kissed her goodnight a bit longer.

She didn't invite him inside and he didn't expect it. But that had happened soon enough and then they'd gotten engaged. And now…she rested a hand on her abdomen, she wanted so much to put the Bannon County chapter of her life behind her.

It looked like it finally might happen…

* * *

**Earlier...**

**Butz: **

Damn that PI from L.A. who thought he'd ruin years of hard work to get my operation up and running so I could make more money than this lousy county job paid me. It's not like I didn't keep the county safe from riff faff and the voters happy…they kept reelecting me. No candidates ever opposed me and between that job and my side business, I was able to build a nice life for myself with a beautiful home, nice cars and even a fishing cabin at the lake.

Then he had to come in and ruin that all for me. It's Jake's fault for picking up the wrong woman without checking her out first. If it weren't for him…and that fool Womart our operation wouldn't be in jeopardy of exposure.

Then the PI hooks up with of all people, Fran the troublemaking bitch who'd made my life difficult from the time she got here. She was too damn smart for her own good and figured it all out including the big players waiting in the wings where no one could see them and put two and two together. But I couldn't eliminate Fran. I needed her too much to keep the other women in line. She fell into that role quite well being of all things, an alley cat tough enough to survive if she put herself first.

But here she was standing out there talking to the man who was supposed to be lying dead out in the desert by now. Womart and the other deputy clearly botched that simple task…and he had a party to get the girls ready for at Piser's ranch.

So I did what I had to do, sent the one deputy I had left, Slim, to go get him when he tried to break Bunny out of her cell.

* * *

**C.J.**

Seeing him standing there…it's like the fog inside my head cleared a little bit. I still didn't know myself but I knew him. I knew enough to know that he'd been sitting by my hospital bed holding my hand. He'd appeared inside my head when I felt scared here and now I knew why.

I walked over to touch the glass after they dragged him away. They were going to kill him, I knew it, because he came to find me. All I could do was just stand there with Rhonda and watch.

The older deputy came back for us and led Rhonda and I dressed in swimsuits to the van where the other women had begun to board. They were taking us to the party and we were to be used as entertainment by the men there. I didn't want to go…I hesitated in my heels before getting inside another type of cell but Rhonda whispered in my ear that we'd try to figure out a way to escape when we got there.

"I want to come back here and get him."

Rhonda narrowed her eyes at me.

"You mean that gorgeous guy who came to break you out?"

I nodded and she sighed.

"It's too dangerous…I don't see Fran here so she must be staying behind and she might be helping that deputy for all we know."

Somehow I didn't think so. If the man who came to save me got inside the jail, he must have had help. That's what my mind told me. Maybe it'd been Fran. Babs sat alone, a bit dejected in the back of the van. We sat in front of her. Rhonda turned to look at her.

"Where's your bitch?"

Babs looked at her scornfully.

"In huge trouble no thanks to Bunny and that man…Butz is probably going to ice her too."

Rhonda and I looked at each other.

"Sorry I didn't know…"

Babs snickered.

"Would you even care? I mean what's it to you? You've probably had it easy your whole life."

I paused, how could I even respond to that?

"Well I hope you wind up with some jerk who beats some sense into you before he wants a good screwing for his trouble."

"Babs…"

"Just shut up…in fact I hope you draw Piser…I heard he's a real charmer in the sack…"

Babs gave us one more look and then turned and looked out the window clearly done.

* * *

**Matt**:

I paced inside the cell, my mind on only one thing. Getting out of there and finding where they took C.J. I held her picture in my hand and couldn't stop looking at it. I had to keep my mind focused and that meant figuring out how to take out the deputy when he came back to kill the two of us.

I knew he'd be back soon enough. Fran knew too and she'd been pissed off at me for getting her in this mess and ruining what she got going. I figured she helped Butz just to survive. I didn't hold it against her but now it was time for her to make amends by helping me get C.J. out and liberating herself in the process.

"Fuck you, if you think I'm going to help your rich ass. Look what I got out of it so far. A bullet to my head and so will you."

"Fran…"

She threw up her hands.

"I just hope they don't bury us next to each other in the desert when they're done."

I studied the photo again. I could see that annoyed her.

"I don't know why I bothered to help you anyway…what's Bunny to you anyway?"

"Just a friend…."

I couldn't say much more than that in so few words. My relationship with C.J. was much more than friendship but my mind focused on what I had to do to save her.

She looked at me incredulously.

"You go all out for your friends?"

I looked at C.J again, her hair spilling around her dressed in the outfit she wore for her job interview at Houston Enterprises. I knew I'd hire her but she wanted to go through the same process as others.

"If that's what it takes…"

She just gasped as if she didn't believe it. I knew I had to do whatever it took to persuade her to help us get out of there.

Time was ticking and not in our favor.


	17. Chapter 17

**Present Day**

Testimony ended for the day and so Matt and C.J. headed back to the hotel to pack their things before heading to the airport where their Lear Jet awaited. Rusty had flown in to pilot it back to L.A. so Matt could relax in the cabin with C.J. making sure she got her much needed rest. He knew how draining this ordeal had been for her.

She put the luggage next to Matt's at the door for the bellboy to pick up and take down to the rental car. They'd ordered some room service before they left, some dark chocolate cake with ice cream on the side. After laying on the chaise with her feet up, she started eating it.

Damn it was delicious and it hit the spot about now. She was beyond ready to head back home where their new house waited for them on some ranchland just outside of Los Angeles. He moved to the couch and she cleared some room for him.

"Got a couple hours yet…if you want to nap."

She stuck to eating her dessert.

"I'm fine Houston…we're both fine," she said, "We'll be more than fine if we get seconds on this cake."

He nodded and before long, he was feeding her his own cake while she savored every crumb. Chocolate had always been one of her weaknesses that had been an important part of his courting of this amazing woman once he finally got his head straight.

"It's been a tough few days Houston," she said, "but it was worth it."

He sighed.

"They're going to put them all away C.J…for everything they did to those women."

She nodded and partly it was to keep from tearing up again. Unable to help herself, as the images of the women who'd been killed by Womart and buried in the desert would always remain with her.

"I hope so…but I'm a lawyer Houston and I know how trials don't always turn out the way you'd expect."

Meaning that the men might be found not guilty which didn't look likely or that there might be a hung trial resulting in another mistrial. She'd testified more than once at trial and she'd keep doing it until the day came when a jury came back with a guilty verdict.

She just wasn't looking forward to it. She'd hoped that someone would do the same for her if she'd wound up lying in an unmarked grave along with the others.

* * *

**Matt**

I came up with a plan to spring us both out of there. Fran still stared out the window into the yard but had stopped yelling at me. Once I'd told her how hard I'd fight from my friends, she'd just shaken her head and fallen silent.

The photo of C.J. smiling I stared at until I finally had to tuck it away again. No way I'd fail her now. Something had happened to change her so she didn't recognize me. Maybe they'd drugged her to go along with their plan. She'd never go along willingly and she knew how to fight back.

I didn't understand why she went by Bunny either. It made no sense but I had no time to worry about that, I had to get out of this cell and head off to find her. Before I did that, I'd call his buddy with the state police to send officers out to Piser's horse ranch to bust the party.

First thing, I had to get out of here and they were down to one deputy, an older looking guy. It'd be easy enough to overpower him if I could fool him into coming back into the cell.

"Fran you got to help me get this guy in here so we can knock him out," I said, "I can't do it by myself."

She folded her arms looking at me.

"What good will that do? He's got a gun."

"I can get it away from him if I have the element of surprise," I said, "What we're going to do is you play that you're real sick and when he checks you out, I'll jump him."

She looked skeptical.

"Slim isn't the brightest one but if he doesn't fall for it…"

I sighed knowing I was running out of time and not wanting to waste any more of it.

"It comes down to how good at acting you are," I said, "You fake the biggest gut ache you ever had in your life and I'll do the rest."

She nodded and lay on the bed to do just that.

* * *

**C.J.**

I saw the ranch loom ahead larger than life. A stylish house surrounded by white fencing everywhere. The van drove past some tennis courts up the circular drive in front of the house. Butz parked and got out first to make sure we were presentable when the men attending the party came out to pick their dates.

Babs had warned me about Piser…the man I'd met in the office. He'd been such a smooth talker, almost pleasant in attitude but he'd made me feel as uneasy in his own way as Butz. I knew what would have happened to me if Butz hadn't been interrupted by the deputy when he had me on the couch beneath him. I knew what he wanted to finish when he'd returned to the office and saw me there with his partner.

I didn't want him to be my date. He scared me, what Babs said scared me. But as I saw him lead the other men to where we were standing in our skimpy attire, his eyes flashed immediately on me. They were icy cold like a snake's before the smile that lit up his face when the mask slipped over his face again.

"Bunny…you look so damn pretty…I've been looking forward to this all day."

My heart sunk and my body tensed. I knew he'd picked me out for himself. I glanced sideways at Babs and even she didn't snicker. I thought I saw something resembling sympathy in her eyes. My skin crawled as he touched my arm as his eyes thoroughly appraised me as if I were some prize heifer in a sales ring.

I tried not to flinch knowing it'd make it worse for me. God I didn't know what to do, how I was going to get away from him. In that one instant, I knew why Carrie and the others had risked everything to run off. Maybe even when caught, they believed death was better.

"We'll sit by the pool and get to know each other first," he said, slipping his arm around my waist, "and then we're going inside."

Bile rose in my throat. My heart thudded inside my chest. He looked straight at me, his smile wavering.

"You will give me what I want…the way I want it."

I stared at him like a doe caught in the headlights knowing he was right.

* * *

**Piser**

I looked at Bunny as if she were something I'd just bought and in a sense I did. I owned her after all and she would do whatever I wanted.

A part of me hoped she'd fight back. Excitement filled me at the thought that she might. Nothing worth having came easily and when I won, after I'd broken her, she'd know who owned her.


	18. Chapter 18

C.J. loved flying in the Lear with Matt. Of course there'd been that one time the plane had been hijacked by terrorists while they'd been on their way to the Bahamas to check out a popular tourist resort as a business investment.

Of course someday she'd have to tell Matt that she'd had ulterior plans for the time they'd spend at the plush spot that didn't involve business meetings or a tour of the premises. Like seducing her best friend using the balmy summer nights and the gorgeous scenery around them to create some memories at the very least.

After that horrendous experience it'd taken her a while to be bold with him again but the Lear Jet had factored into it. While Rusty and his co-pilot flew it back to L.A. she and Matt relaxed in the cabin. Being her doting husband, he covered her with a blanket and had pulled out the seat into a chaise for the two of them to share while snacking on some gourmet popcorn while watching a romantic comedy.

Her choice of movies but he'd seemed more intent on kissing her, anything to distract her. She knew that it was mostly so she wouldn't dwell on the trial they'd left behind them.

"Houston…you don't like the movie. Too slow paced?"

She'd been teasing him of course but he shook his head.

"I just want to spend some quiet time with Mrs. Houston," he said, "while we still can because in a few months…"

"Five Houston…there's still time to be newlyweds."

He pulled her closer to him and they watched the film. A year ago, life had been so different. He'd been mooning over Elizabeth Sheridan a woman he'd saved like the rest after she'd left him only to return a few months later. She'd been at a loss feeling more and more distanced from the investigative firm as she had since his uncle had come to live in L.A. and took over her role She'd fixed that by volunteering at a Legal Aid clinic which kept her quite fulfilled.

Matt and she having different passions in their lives had ironically gotten them together. But it had been quite a journey that really began when they'd met up as young children.

Soul mates who began to work their way towards one another until they finally made it.

* * *

**Earlier…**

**Matt:**

Fran put on a good show of being in the worst pain imaginable. She lay on the lower bunk, her hand on her lower belly and just groaned so loudly…I knew the deputy would come running and I'd be ready for him.

"Oh god…my guts are burning…I can't stand it anymore…what the hell did you have us eating? Pig slop…I'm dying here…"

She played the role of her life and Fran knew it would be her life. Helping me save C.J. would save her own life too. We were awaiting our execution otherwise and I had no intention of sitting here waiting for some bad guy to come in here and kill us. All the time I spent waiting, C.J. was at that damn party waiting for some thug to rape her just so Butz and his partner, this guy on the State Parole Board could buy some political favors. I knew my buddy at State Police could get his troops together and break up that fun and games party but first he had to know about it.

I had to get out of this cell and give him a call to tell him where this prostitution ring that had been operating took place. The one that had trapped many a helpless woman including my best friend.

"Oh god…I can't stand it…where's the damn deputy? I'm going to die here…"

I watched the door, listened for the footsteps that would signal the deputy to come inside the cell. My fingers itched to just snap his neck so he'd drop lifeless on the floor before we left. But I knew I'd just do enough to disable him so we could escape.

"I don't know if this is working…"

I looked down at her.

"Keep doing it…he's gonna have to come and check it out."

She pursed her lips.

"It's gonna be too late to save her especially if Piser wants a piece of her."

That wasn't going to happen. I'd get to that damn party on time before he or any of them would lay a finger on her.

"Just keep at it."

She started moaning and crying out loudly again and this time I heard footsteps quickly approach the cell and then the rattle of keys on a chain as he opened the door.

"What's the problem?"

"My guts are burning…I'm going to die here."

He shook his head at her.

"You both dying anyway…as soon as I get the word," he said, "Boss got something special for this guy and Bunny once she's done with Piser."

My hands clenched into fists. I was waiting for just the right moment to jump him.

"You got to look at her," I said, "She just got sick like that."

The deputy bent down to take a closer look and I cracked him on the back of his head with my fist, hoping I wouldn't break it. He cried out and then he went down with a thud. Fran looked up at me and then jumped off the bunk sidestepping his body.

"You kill him?"

"No, just knocked him out," I said, "Come on, I got to get you out here to someplace safe and you need to call the State Police and ask for…"

I searched my pocket for the name and contact info of my friend. She nodded as she tucked it in her shirt and we took off for the nearest vehicle after going into Butz office to grab the keys.

All I could think of was C.J. alone with some creep and how I needed to get there in time.

"She's got no memory…she never gave us any name…"

I knew that too…something had happened to her so she hadn't known me but I'd cross that bridge when I came to it.

"Come on…let's get out of here…I promised you I'd make Butz' party his last and I'm going to do just that."

* * *

**C.J.**

I sat there dressed only in a blue bikini and flimsy wrap around my shoulders in some chair near where Piser poured us both a glass of something that burned my throat when I sipped it. The warmth filled me and my muscles relaxed but I still remained on edge.

Girls walked with men who wore more clothes than they did and talked with them while I sat there feeling totally lost. I saw a couple deputies standing nearby armed and ready…in case anyone crashed the party. I thought back to the deputy…the one who stood outside the glass window of my cell and just looked at me…trying to get my attention.

I heard a name called but didn't remember it…but he seemed to know me. That made one of us

"So Bunny tell me about yourself…"

Piser said that from his chair near mine and with a hand resting on my bare thigh not far below my bikini bottoms. Who was he kidding? I didn't know anything about my life including my name so what was there to tell him? Then I realized it was his way of making small talk, some chit chat before he took me inside. His way of pretending this was a real date between two people who both wanted what lay inside the house.

I didn't want it. I didn't want him to take my clothes off and for him to push me on the bed and do what he wanted. Get off on making me have sex with him when his hand on my thigh made me want to vomit. I knew enough not to try and stop him while we were outside where Butz and his deputies could see us. I'd find a way to fight him once we were alone.

Rhonda was already sitting on the lap of some older man and not enjoying it. She said she'd planned to escape when the opportunity arose.

I planned to do the same thing.


End file.
